Soul Keepers
by GreenGrass1
Summary: "Soul Keeper is he who will balance the wolf spirit within you. Without him, we are as mindless as a common wolf". Slash. AU. Rated M for swearing, sexuality, violence. Vol 1: Ch 1-20, Vol 2: Ch 21 on. Used to be called "Half of My Soul". Don't own HM.
1. Chapter 1: Prologue

Chapter 1: Prologue

The room was elegant but sparsely furnished. There were tatami mats lining the polished wooden floor, few scrolls and paintings decorated the otherwise plain, white wall.

In the middle of the room, there was a low, wooden table flanked by four flat pillows. Two pillows each on the opposing sides of the table. On one side of the table, sat a silver-haired man and a silver-haired boy of ten, both attired in dark clothing. The man had sharp eyes that didn't miss any detail, while the silver-haired boy was solemn as he knelt quietly on the pillow. The boy's crimson eyes surreptitiously glanced at the two people sitting across him.

Across them sat a blonde woman and a blond boy of ten, both attired in white kimonos. The blond boy looked intently at the table in front of him, and never once raised his eyes. He had perfect pale skin, and such a delicate face, that the silver-haired boy had mistaken him for a girl at first.

"This is your Soul Keeper, son", the Great Wolf broke the silence, "the half of your soul, your counterpart".

"What's a Soul Keeper, father?"

"Soul Keeper is he who will balance the wolf spirit within you, and allow you to keep your humanity. Without him, we are as mindless as the common wolves".

The silver-haired boy nodded solemnly. He did not quite understand all this talk about half soul and balance. He felt quite human, even with the wolf spirit within him. But he thought that it was best, if he just nodded. He looked across the table at the blond boy, silently willing the boy to raise his gaze so he could see the color of the blond boy's eyes. But the blond boy merely shivered as if he was cold, and kept his eyes cast downwards.

"When you are both eighteen, you will undergo a ritual which will bind you together, with a bond that can never be broken..." The Great Wolf hesitated.

"...We are very fortunate to have counterparts, son. Not every wolf does. Treasure him always", finally the man added.

"Yes, father", the little Silver Wolf nodded.

End of Prologue


	2. Chapter 2: The Farmer, The Wolf, The Cat

Author's note: First, I want to say that this story is inspired, I am sure, by manga and graphic novels that I have read. I can't pinpoint specific titles at the moment but I just want to acknowledge their influence. I am sure that the term soul keeper had been used somewhere in this big, wide world, but I couldn't think of a better term. Sorry. If you could think of a better term, let me know. Secondly, I am sure that there are probably a lot of harvest moon wolves fanfictions out there and I just want to offer yet another one. Hope you like it. Remember, review/constructive criticism is always appreciated. Thanks.

Chapter 2: The Farmer, The Wolf and The Cat Spirit

Mark looked at the mark on his right palm. A bond that can never be broken, huh? He thought. He recalled the ritual, the blood oath that he had taken on his eighteenth birthday, a year ago. After the ritual, a red mark, which looked like some sort of tattoo, had appeared on his right palm. A matching mark had also appeared on Vaughn's left palm. He glanced sideways at the taller man crouching beside him. Vaughn's face was calm and stoic as usual.

Mark sighed and turned his attention back to the deserted alley that he and Vaughn had been watching for the past two hours or so. They were crouching on a roof top of one of the houses that lined the dark alley, watching and waiting. There had been reports of supernatural activities going on in this alley, of strange visions, strange noises and inanimate objects being thrown around. Mark and Vaughn had been hired by the locals to investigate.

Farmer by day, supernatural investigator by night, Mark smiled at that thought. The money was good so he couldn't resist. Besides, his and Vaughn's abilities were well suited for this kind of job. He shifted his weight from one foot to another. Maybe not tonight, he thought, nothing is going to happen tonight. Then, as if to prove him wrong, a brown-haired girl entered the alley. Her eyes darted around as she walked as quickly as possible.

"There", Vaughn whispered as a garbage can was hurled towards the girl, barely missing her, and slammed into a wall instead. The girl screamed. Vaughn straightened himself up and jumped off the roof. He landed silently on the ground, crouching on one knee, with his back towards the girl. He heard Mark landed beside him.

The spirit took a form of a black panther tonight. As it growled at Vaughn and Mark, another garbage can flew towards them. But Vaughn moved swiftly to the side, dragging Mark by the shoulder to avoid the can.

"Bad kitty", Mark glared at the spirit as Vaughn lunged towards it. The panther jumped sideways trying to avoid Vaughn but he was faster, and stronger. He caught the panther's neck and held it in a dead lock.

"Now Mark!" Vaughn yelled at him. Mark took out a spirit seal out of his pocket and held it out. Wind rustled and swirled around him, as he opened his palm. The seal fluttered in the wind as it rose, and was suspended in the air for a few seconds, before it rocketed towards the black cat. The big cat shrieked and fell onto the ground, struggling, as the seal planted itself firmly on its forehead.

After some time, the spirit lost its fight and lay on the ground, trembling.

"Please, please don't hurt me. I don't mean any harm...I am just cold...so cold.." The panther begged with a small, boyish voice.

Mark crouched in front of the panther and scratched his head, wondering why the spirit had decided to haunt this alley. A small mark on the panther's right ear caught his eyes. A cursed seal, he thought. Someone cursed this poor thing, causing it to rage against living things.

"Hey Vaughn, look at this. Someone is provoking this spirit".

Vaughn nodded as he examined the panther's ear. Then he reached into the mark, hooked his fingers around it and started to pull. The cursed seal stretched out of the ear, hesitantly at first, but Vaughn kept pulling and pulling until the seal finally detached itself completely from the cat's ear with a pop. The instant it was pulled off the ear, the cursed seal disappeared into thin air. The panther let out a big sigh of relief. Mark reached out and stroke the panther's head and the big cat purred in response. Vaughn watched Mark's hand with fascination as the latter slowly stroke the panther to calm it down. Mark is always good with animal, Vaughn thought.

"You have a choice", Mark spoke to the panther. "You can promise us that you will stay away from human and not bother anyone ever again, or..." He looked at those glittering, yellow eyes and marveled at their beauty. "...or you can come and live with us as our familiar".

Whoosh...the panther changed into a boy cloaked in long black robe. He had black hair, and looked no older than fifteen. "Can I...can I really stay with you?" His huge, amber eyes hopeful.

Mark looked at Vaughn who frowned at him but said nothing. "Why not? I have always wanted a pet cat", Mark grinned. Then he turned to the boy, "Han, I will call you Han".

"Oooh..." Will, Han and Vaughn turned their heads at the brown-haired girl. At some point, she had fainted and they had momentarily forgotten about her. Now she was groaning, as she tried to push herself up on her knees.

"Are you okay, miss?" Mark asked the bewildered girl, as he offered his hand to her. The girl looked up to him and took his hand, letting him to help her stand.

"I...I am okay...tha...thanks for helping me", she said, still trembling at the vision of the vicious panther she saw before. "Did...did you kill the panther?" She said as she looked around surreptitiously. There was no sign of the panther anywhere.

"The panther won't bother anyone anymore", Mark answered her.

"I know you", she said, with awe. "You are Mark and Vaughn, right? My...my name is Chelsea. I owned the new farm at the edge of town". Chelsea's heart beat faster. She just couldn't believe her luck that she would actually get to introduce herself to them. She had heard about them of course, from the rest of the townsfolk, and she thought that Vaughn, with his serious demeanor and his silver hair, was even dreamier than what other girls had told her.

"Thank you for saving me", she spoke to Vaughn, blushing a little.

"Don't mention it. Go home", Vaughn said coolly, as he waved at her.

Mark glanced at the trembling girl. "I think we should walk her home, Vaughn. What do you think?" He looked pointedly at Vaughn. When Vaughn didn't say anything, Mark sighed. "Come on Chelsea, don't mind the crabby man. We'll walk you home", he said to her cheerfully.

After they walked Chelsea home, Mark, Vaughn and Han walked back to Mark's farmhouse. A few months ago, Vaughn had suggested that it was just more practical for the Wolf and his Soul Keeper to live under one roof, especially during full moons, and Mark had agreed to that, so Vaughn was now living in Mark's farmhouse.

At home, Mark took off his baseball cap and flung it carelessly at his bedside table. He threw himself on the bed and yawned. He had been awake since dawn to attend to his chores. He felt tiredness all the way to his bones and his eyes were heavy, and he fell asleep before he could think of anything else. Han transformed into a small, black cat and curled himself beside Mark.

"Mark, do you want..." Vaughn stopped himself as he stood by Mark's bedroom door. He was going to ask Mark if he had wanted any coffee, but he could see that Mark had fallen asleep. He stepped towards the bed silently and peered at the sleeping young man. The sight of Mark sleeping always caught his breath. His hand hovered over Mark's head for a moment, and then gently he caressed Mark's blond hair. He sat on the bed beside the sleeping man and sighed, thinking of that day, nine years ago when he met Mark for the first time.

Many soul keepers in Vaughn's family clan came into the family voluntarily. They were humans with supernatural abilities who had decided to ally themselves with the Silver Wolfe clan. But not all, some were forced or bought. As he got older, Vaughn found that Mark was one of those who didn't come voluntarily. Mark was an orphan. His parents died when he was ten, and he was sold to the Silver Wolfe clan by his aunt. Sold to slavery when he was ten! Guilt and rage rose in Vaughn's heart like ocean waves. His gaze lingered at the sleeping man's pale, full lips, at his quivering eyelashes. I'll treasure you always, silently Vaughn promised Mark.

End of Chapter 2


	3. Chapter 3: There is A New Doctor in Town

Chapter 3: There is a New Doctor in Town

"...But I don't want to stay with them. I want to stay with you", the little blond boy whined. He roughly brushed his fists over his eyes, trying to stop his eyes from tearing up.

"Mark, stop whining. We have talked about this, you can't stay here. You are lucky that the Silver Wolfe clan would take you. They are very nice people, and they are going to give you a better life than if you stay with me", the woman brushed the boy's hair impatiently, trying to bend his unruly hair to her will. "Listen to me. You are going to be a very good boy and not giving them any trouble, you hear?" She knelt in front of him, holding his arms and looking directly at the boy's teary eyes...

"Morning Mark". A voice jolted Mark out of his memory train. He was about to swear as he looked up from the weeds that he was supposed to pull out. He saw Chelsea approaching him with a package tucked under her arm, and swallowed his curses instead.

"Oh hey, Chelsea. How are you doing?" Mark straightened up as he brushed the sweat off his eyebrows.

"I am fine. I...I brought you and Vaughn some turnips from my farm, to thank you for saving me yesterday from that panther", Chelsea offered him the package.

"Really? Thanks, you really don't have to do that though".

"Oh well, I had a good harvest today", she said sheepishly. She looked around the farm, "Does Vaughn like vegetables?" she asked, not looking at Mark.

"No, he is not really big on veggies", Mark said, thinking of all the times he had to mince vegetables very finely, or hide them in meat, potatoes or rice, so Vaughn would eat them. But then he saw how Chelsea's face fell, and he felt bad for her. "But, but...I am sure he would love these turnips. There is nothing better than fresh, off-the-ground turnips, right? And if he doesn't want them, I will eat them all. I like turnips!" he told her with gusto.

Chelsea smiled at him, "Well, enjoy. Say hi to Vaughn for me". She waved goodbye as she traced her way back out of Mark's farm.

"Hey, you are up! Chelsea brought us some turnips", Mark said as he walked into the kitchen. He reached into the kitchen cabinet to pull out a container for the turnips. Vaughn, who was sitting at the kitchen table sipping his coffee, merely grunted as a response. Vaughn wasn't a morning person, it took him a while to get going in the morning.

"Good morning!" Out of nowhere, Han threw his arms around Mark and squeezed him hard.

"Ugh...tight...can't breath..."

"Let him go. You are choking him", Vaughn glowered over his coffee mug at Han.

"Oh...I didn't see you there. So you are awake already", Han loosened his grip on Mark but still hanging off him.

Vaughn frowned, "I have been sitting here all along, cat. What do you mean you didn't see me?".

"Well, I guess it means that I like Mark better than you", Han stuck out his tongue. Vaughn shot him a look.

"Anyhow...", Mark grabbed Han's arms and pried himself free. His stomach was grumbling. He pulled out a frying pan from the cupboard. "Are you ready for break...Fuck! What are you doing?" Mark jumped as Vaughn hugged him from behind.

"If the cat can hug you, so can I", he said.

"Fuck! Stop doing that. Stop touching me like that!" Mark struggled free and his face was burning. Vaughn was a good friend and housemate, but his touch made Mark uncomfortable. Vaughn's touch reminded Mark of those days when he was sent to live in Silver Wolfe clan's all boys training compound, after his aunt had dropped him off at the clan's main house. The rule of the compound was very strict. Visitor was rarely allowed, and the boys rarely went outside the compound. When they did go outside, they had never gone unchaperoned.

And yes, during those days, Mark admitted to himself, he did have crushes on other boys, and there were boys who had fancied him, and yes, there had been kissing and touching, and so on. But Mark had simply chalked off those times as a result of teenage boy's curiosity, rampaging hormone and a serious lack of girls in the compound. He didn't believe that he was gay. And now that he was living in his own place, outside the compound, Mark had determined to stop playing around with boys, and find a girlfriend instead. Okay, so he hadn't fancied any girl yet, even after living in this island for a little over six months, but he simply thought that it was because he had not met the right girl.

Mark glared at Vaughn who simply met his eyes calmly. His gaze made Mark nervous, for there was an expression on Vaughn's face that he couldn't really place. For a moment Mark forgot of what he was going to say, so he let out a string of colorful curses instead. Vaughn watched Mark's moving mouth as if he was captivated. That's Mark, Vaughn thought. Face of an angel, and mouth of a sailor.

"I...I am not a girl, you know...and...uh, the cat has a name. His name is Han", finally Mark stuttered, lamely, after he ran through his vast vocabulary of swear words. He turned his back towards Vaughn, busying himself with breakfast preparation.

Meanwhile in the Island Hotel, Vanessa, the hotel manager was serving tea and scones to one of her guests, the one with dark hair and dark eyes.

"So you are moving here, Doctor Trent?", Vanessa asked her guest, making small talk.

Trent nodded, "My wife passed away six months ago. I need a new start and this island is so beautiful..." He took out a clean handkerchief and sprayed it with a disinfectant solution he carried with him everywhere he went, and wiped the teacup handle. He replaced his kerchief and the small spray bottle back in his pocket, and reached for his newspaper. He was aware of the look that Vanessa gave him but he didn't care. One can never be too careful. Besides, he wasn't in the mood to chat with her. He just wanted to have his tea, and perused the newspaper for a suitable place to rent, in peace.

"Afternoon!", Mark walked into the hotel lobby, carrying a brown bag, with Vaughn at his tail.

"Mark! Vaughn! Hey, how are you? Are those my eggs?"

"Yup", Mark carefully placed the brown bag full of eggs on one of the tables that dotted the hotel lobby. "I wrestled them all out of the chickens this morning", he grinned.

"Can't get any fresher than that!" Vanessa smiled at him. "Oh, by the way, have you met Doctor Trent? He will be moving here. Isn't that great? We are going to have our own doctor. We don't have to go the mainland anymore, just to see a doctor. Doctor Trent is looking for a place to stay but in the meanwhile, he is going to stay here in the hotel. Oh yes, doctor, these are Mark and Vaughn. Mark owns a farm just north of here, and Vaughn here is our town's only livestock dealer".

Trent blinked. This woman could definitely talk, and talk fast, he thought. He rose from his chair and gingerly shook Mark's and Vaughn's hand, making a mental note to wash his hand later. "Livestock dealer eh? I guess you travel a lot", he spoke to Vaughn.

"Not anymore. I used to. But now I only travel maybe a couple of days a week", Vaughn said.

Trent's expression turned serious, "Be careful of what you eat and drink when you travel. There are many diseases you can catch, especially from raw food and water that hasn't been boiled. Lots of these diseases can be fatal". Then he turned to Mark, "And you own a farm, I see. I am aware of how hard farm life is. But, don't overworked yourself. There was a farmer in my hometown who worked too hard and she worked herself to death, literally..." He paused. "She was very young", he finally added.

"Ah..." for a moment, Mark was speechless. "Don't worry, doctor. I won't be working too hard...", finally, he continued.

"Oh yes, Mark and Vaughn, I have forgotten. Nick from the Diner had left you a message. He has a job for you to do. He said something about ghost?" Vanessa frowned, trying to remember. That can't be right, she thought. She shook her head, and opened the hotel cash register. She took some money out and handed it to Mark as a payment for the eggs.

"Then we better get going. Thanks, Vanessa. Nice to meet you Doctor", Mark gestured with his hand, as he and Vaughn walked out of the hotel.

Ghost? Trent wondered, as he followed the pair with his eyes.

End of Chapter 3


	4. Chapter 4: Ghost in the Diner

Chapter 4: Ghost in the Diner

The man sat in the diner alone. Five o'clock shadows darkened his face, and his clothes was rumpled. He looked tired, and felt even worse. He felt cold all the way to his bones. He wrapped his hands around his coffee mug, trying to warm them, but he couldn't feel any heat. The coffee had gone cold, he thought. He needed to order another one, he looked at his coffee numbly, but he didn't make a move.

"Is this seat taken?"

The man looked up. At first he wasn't sure of what he was seeing but then slowly, a man with blond hair came into focus. Well more of a teenager really, the blond man couldn't be older than sixteen? Eighteen? Either way, he looked young. The man wondered whether he had been drinking as the boy looked a little hazy to him, a little distorted. He wrinkled his forehead, but he couldn't remember anything, no matter how hard he tried. As a matter of fact he couldn't even remember what he was doing here in this diner. Then he realized that the boy was still there, waiting for him to answer.

"I...I am waiting for someone", as soon as he said it, the man remember that he was indeed, waiting for someone.

"Well, that's fine. Do you mind if we sit with you until your guest arrived? We'll move to another table when he or she arrived, okay?"

The man nodded silently. He didn't see any harm in that. The boy scooted in the seat across the table. Another hazy, distorted boy followed, and sat beside the first boy.

"So I am Mark and this is Vaughn", the blond boy said, "What's your name?"

The man frowned. His name...his name is...it was on the tip of his tongue. He shook his head. It was not important, he thought. His name was not important.

"Do you think it's him?" Vaughn asked Mark.

"Yeah..." Mark nodded.

"I think it was heart attack", Vaughn whispered.

Mark turned his attention back to the man, "So...who are you waiting for?"

"My...my wife", the man said. He tried to conjure an image of his wife in his mind, but at the moment he couldn't remember her face at all.

"Is your wife Felicia?" Mark asked.

The man gasped. Felicia. A red-haired woman came into his mind. Yes, that was his wife. Then memories came rushing in.

"I...I am waiting for my wife. I need to tell her that I am sorry...I am sorry that I have been having affair with..." The man paused. He couldn't remember the name or the face of the woman he had an affair with. He recalled that the woman he had an affair with, had convinced him to leave Felicia and the kids, and he had done so. Only to realize at the end, that it was a mistake. He loved Felicia, he didn't love the other woman. The man covered his face with his hands, "I have a wife and two young children and I was having an affair. I am a wretched, wretched man. I am sorry...I am so sorry...I just want to go home"

"Kevin, your name is Kevin", Mark reached out his hand across the table to touch Kevin's arm. Kevin flinched. Mark's touch felt like fire to him. Kevin, yes that was his name. Then he recalled sitting in the diner waiting for Felicia, wanting to tell her how sorry he was, and to ask her to take him back when he felt that blinding pain in his chest. His vision had blurred and then the darkness had taken over. But that can't be right, I am still here, Kevin thought. He peered at the two boys more closely. They were hazy, distorted, and now he could see an odd, soft, almost invisible aura around them.

"What are you? You are not humans", Kevin gasped.

"We are, Kevin..." Mark paused. Then gently he continued, "But you are not. You died in this diner a long time ago from a heart attack. Do you remember?"

Yes, he did remember, and as soon as Mark said it, Kevin knew that it was true. But it didn't matter to him, he was still waiting for Felicia, for her forgiveness.

"I am waiting for my wife. I need to tell her that I am sorry...I need her to take me back"

"Alright, we will be back with Felicia. Please wait, it won't take long", Mark and Vaughn rose from their seat.

To Kevin, time did not pass at all, while in fact it was two hours later, before Mark and Vaughn returned to the diner with Felicia in tow.

"Is he there? I couldn't see him", Felicia spoke to Mark with a low voice. She felt the hair on her neck stood, as she searched the empty seat across the table. It felt spooky, and she wasn't sure why.

"Oh yes, he is there. Kevin, Felicia is here. She has something to tell you", Mark addressed the empty seat.

"Kevin, I have forgiven you a long time ago. I know you are sorry, and I forgave you"

Kevin looked up. Felicia looked very hazy and distorted, much more distorted than Mark and Vaughn. But it was Felicia alright, Kevin recognized her voice right away.

Mark reached into his pocket, and took out a small piece of white paper with odd runic writing on it, a spirit seal. "She had forgiven you Kevin. You don't need to wait here any longer. You need to go home. Your new home, in The Other. What do you say? Are you ready to go?"

Kevin nodded slowly. He felt drained, but his heavy heart had lightened. It was as if the ice around his heart and in his vein had melted, and he didn't feel as cold. He told Felicia that he loved her and the kids, and that he was once again, sorry. Mark rose and reached over to plant the seal on Kevin's forehead. Don't fight it, he told Kevin. It will be over soon, he soothed the ghost. The ghost convulsed and disappeared into thin air, along with the seal.

"Is he gone?" Felicia asked, she hugged herself tight as if she was cold.

"Yes. Thank you for coming. He wouldn't leave if he didn't want to", Mark explained. But Felicia didn't quite hear him as her mind was occupied with other thoughts, with old memories. She nodded silently at Mark and Vaughn, and left the diner as quickly as she could.

"So the ghost is gone? He won't come back?" Nick, the diner owner, broke the silence.

"Yeah, he won't be back", Mark answered him.

"Good". Nick opened the cash register to get some money, "He was scaring my customers. Here is your money. Thanks again".

Outside, the spring evening was in full swing. The air was a little chilly, the dark sky was blanketed with stars. Mark sighed out loud. Dealing with sad ghosts like Kevin, always made him feel melancholy, and when he felt blue like this, his thought would eventually turn to his parents. He recalled his ten-year old self, feeling abandoned, first by his parents, then by his aunt. He shook his head. Stop that, stop it, he admonished himself silently. They died, they didn't abandon him, and his aunt couldn't afford to keep him. Mark tried to convince himself that, but he just couldn't help feeling sorry for himself on days like these.

"Are you okay?" Vaughn asked him.

"Yeah, I am okay. I am just tired".

"Do you think she really forgave him?" Vaughn wondered out loud.

"I don't know. I hope so", Mark sighed. Vaughn glanced sideways at Mark, and the sad expression on Mark's face caught his heart. He wondered if Mark was thinking of his parents and aunt again.

"I won't abandon you", Vaughn's hand was on Mark's shoulder.

Mark twitched. There he goes again, Mark thought, making me uncomfortable. He could feel his face burning, and he was sure that his face, neck and ears were turning crimson right about now. But his mood had lightened, and he didn't feel as blue. However, he wasn't going to let Vaughn know that his stupid affectionate nonsense had cheered him up. So instead, he turned to Vaughn, and punched him hard in the arm.

"Oy! How many times do I have to tell you to stop saying things like that to me?" Mark glared at Vaughn and cursed, and then he started to walk away.

"I will never leave you..."

Mark didn't respond. He quickened his steps.

Vaughn repeated himself, a little louder this time, "I said, I will never le..."

"I heard you the first time, you idiot!" Mark yelled back, and started to run.

The corner of Vaughn's mouth turned into a small smile, as he hastened his steps to catch up with Mark.

End of Chapter 4


	5. Chapter 5: Big Bright Moon

Chapter 5: Big Bright Moon

"I am home", Vaughn called out tiredly at the door. He took off the black cowboy hat that he was wearing, and hang it by the metal hook on the wall. Few weeks after the incident with the ghost in the diner, he had to travel to Leaf Valley town for business. The trip had lasted few days longer than he had anticipated. Now that he was home, he felt drained and exhausted.

"We are in kitchen!" Mark answered. Vaughn took off his boots by the door, and trudged to the kitchen.

In the kitchen, Mark was standing by the stove, stirring a pot with a metal ladle. He was wearing a plain apron which was tied around his waist. Han, the boy, was standing beside Mark, watching the pot intently with his yellow cat eyes.

I have missed you, Vaughn thought, as he stepped closer to Mark, wanting to hug him, to touch him. But he stopped himself in time, not wanting to make Mark angry at him for the umpteenth time.

"I brought you Golden Potato sweets from Leaf Valley", Vaughn said instead. He held out the small package that he was carrying. Mark loved sweets, so Vaughn had always made a point of bringing back specialty sweets from whichever city he had traveled to.

"Ooh, thanks!" Mark put down his ladle and snatched the package from Vaughn's hand. "I have been wanting to try that. I heard they are really good, made with one-of-a-kind potato", he eyed the package longingly, but then decided not to open it until after dinner. So he placed the sweets on the kitchen counter and picked up his ladle.

"What are you making?" Vaughn approached the stove. He smelled something good cooking, and his stomach was grumbling.

"Meat and potato stew", Mark answered him.

Vaughn peered at the stew suspiciously. Mark had always tried to make him eat vegetables, and he could be very sneaky about it. There were large pieces of meat and potato in thick, bubbling sauce, and there didn't seem to be anything that would resemble vegetables. "Is there any vegetable in there?" Vaughn asked anyway.

"It has ca..." Han stopped abruptly, as Mark covered Han's mouth with his hand.

"No, there isn't. Just meat and potato", Mark lied smoothly. Earlier, he had minced carrot and green pepper finely, and blended them into the stew's thick sauce.

Vaughn warily looked at Han, who nodded in agreement, and then back at Mark, who was smiling at him. Finally, he shrugged. He was too hungry, and the stew had smelled delicious. He sat at the kitchen table quietly, while Mark ladled the steaming stew into a bowl. Then he set the bowl and a spoon in front of Vaughn.

"If you finish your stew, I'll make you porridge for breakfast tomorrow", Mark promised Vaughn with a soothing voice. The same soothing voice he would use to comfort distraught animals, or sad ghosts. At the mention of his favorite food, Vaughn's face brightened, and he ate the stew without complaining. Mark watched Vaughn eating with satisfaction. This is getting too easy, Mark thought, grinning, patting his own back mentally for his ingenuity. Then he ladled more stew into another bowl for himself, and sat down at the kitchen table to eat.

After the dinner had been eaten and dishes washed, Mark and Vaughn sat on the porch, on the floor, each with a cup of coffee, as they had always done. A small black cat rubbed itself affectionately at the two young men, purring, before finally settling down on Mark's lap. The summer night had cooled into a comfortable temperature, and the night was brightly lit by a full moon.

"It will be midnight in three hours", Mark said, scratching Han's ears. Every full moon was a reminder for Mark of what he was: Vaughn's soul keeper.

The wolf men could change anytime into their wolf forms, except during full moons. During full moons, at midnight, any wolf man who was eighteen years of age or older, would have no choice but to morph into a wolf until dawn. During this involuntary transformation, if a wolf was not bound to a soul keeper, he would forget of who he was. He would behave like a common animal, roaming the woods or villages, hunting, killing, possibly hurting innocent people and other animals. With the passing of every full moon without a soul keeper, a wolf would slowly lose his sense of self, his humanity. Until one final full moon, when he would be completely overtaken by the wolf spirit inside him, and he would stay a common wolf for the rest of his life. This was the reason why it was so critical for every wolf man to bind himself to a soul keeper after he turned eighteen.

This was why every full moon, Mark reminded himself of who he was, and he was glad. It was true that Vaughn's shameless show of affection often ruffled him, but nonetheless, he still thought of Vaughn as his good friend, best friend even. So Mark was glad that he was Vaughn's soul keeper, and he had promised himself a long time ago, that he would protect Vaughn with all his might.

Unbeknownst to Mark, every full moon was a reminder to Vaughn of how Mark came to him. In contrast to the warm feeling that Mark had, Vaughn hated the nights of full moon with all his heart. Not because it forced him to change into a wolf, but because it reminded him of how ten-year-old Mark came into his life. There was conflicting emotions in Vaughn's heart every time he saw the round, bright moon. On one hand, he was grateful to have Mark beside him, bound to him. On the other hand, he couldn't help, but despised who he was and his clan.

He knew that Mark didn't know his aunt had sold him to his clan. Mark had always believed that the clan had taken pity on him, because he was an orphan, and took him in. Vaughn had long toyed with the idea of telling Mark the truth, but he was afraid that Mark would hate him for that. Vaughn simply couldn't bear the thought of Mark hating him.

So the two friends sat, side by side, in silence, and each of them was lost in his own thoughts.

"Evening, Silver Wolf". Two young men emerged from the corner of the farm.

Vaughn's eyes narrowed, "Evening to you, Golden Wolf...". He addressed the taller man, "This is a surprise. I thought you are traveling the world".

The taller man, a stunning blond dressed impeccably in a white suit, flashed a brilliant smile, "Is that how you greet a friend whom you haven't seen for two years, Vaughn? Well, just in case you are wondering, we are doing very well, thank you. What a wonderful place you have here. How are you doing?"

"Why are you here, Will?" Vaughn frowned. And you are no friend of mine, he thought.

"Elliot misses his family very much, and so do I, so we are here to visit them. As well, I have a message from your father..."Will paused, waiting to see if Vaughn would respond. When he didn't, Will continue, "He was wondering when you are going to come home to visit him. You have not visited him even once in the past six months..."

"He is right", Mark chimed in. "We haven't seen your dad for awhile. Maybe we ought to visit him..."

Vaughn shot Mark a look. "I'll think about it", he said.

Will eyed Mark curiously, "And you must be Mark, his soul keeper".

"Yes, I am, and you are?"

"Ah, I am sorry. Where is my manner? Please forgive me. My name is Will, the Golden Wolf. This is my soul keeper, Elliot", Will introduced himself and a red-haired, bespectacled young man beside him.

Mark set Han, the cat, on the floor and rose from his seat, "Nice to meet you, Will, Elliot. Er...would you guys like to come inside?"

"Thank you, but maybe some other time. We are here to deliver a message from the Great Wolf. And now, since the message has been delivered, we will take our leave, if you don't mind. It is my pleasure to meet you Mark, and I bid you good night", Will bowed. He turned and started to walk away with Elliot at his tail, but then stopped and glanced at Mark and Vaughn over his shoulder. "My yacht is docked by the Pier. Elliot and I are going to stay for awhile. We would love it if you would drop by and visit us sometimes". With that he waved, and continued his steps.

"He seems nice", Mark spoke to Vaughn. He sat back down on the porch.

Vaughn shook his head, "No, he is not. Stay away from him. I am serious".

"What? Why?"

"Just stay away", Vaughn refused to say anything more.

"By the way, about your dad. I really think you should go and visit him, what do you think? I'll go with you, if you want", Mark offered.

Vaughn thought for awhile, then an idea formed in his head. "I'll go if you kiss me", he said, hopefully.

"Why, you..." Mark smacked Vaughn in the head, hard. Vaughn winced.

"If the dog can have a kiss, I want one too" Han chirped in cheerfully. He had morphed back into a boy.

"Gaah! Not you too!" Mark smacked Han in the head as well, "You are not even old enough to think about kissing!"

Mark rose and huffed. Then he went into the house, leaving the dog and the cat, sitting side by side under the big, bright moon. Both were feeling rejected, both were feeling sorry for himself...

Back in his yacht, Will sat on the sofa, thinking of Vaughn. What was really going on in Vaughn's head? He wondered. Then his thought turned to Mark. A delectable little blond, Will smiled at that thought. I wonder what he likes. Mark seemed like a person who would like chocolate and strawberries, he decided. He looked at his watch. Half an hour to midnight. Plenty of time, he thought, as he turned his blue eyes towards Elliot.

"Elliot, come and sit by me".

"But I...um, need...um..." Elliot fidgeted with his shirt. He didn't like the look in Will's eyes.

"Come, Elliot. Please don't make me ask you again".

Elliot swallowed. Slowly he walked towards the sofa and sat.

"Closer", Will pulled Elliot towards him.

"No...Will..I don't...no, please", Elliot struggled. But Will was much stronger than him.

"Oh, I do like it when you struggle", Will whispered in Elliot's ear, as he pinned Elliot down, onto the sofa.

End of Chapter 5


	6. Chapter 6: A Teddy Bear Named Brownie

Author's note: this chapter is revised to deal with the mysterious disappearance of Vaughn's clothing as he changed into a wolf. Sorry about that.

Chapter 6: A Teddy Bear Named Brownie

Vaughn could remember vividly, the day he met Mark for the second time, as if it was just happened yesterday. A year before he turned eighteen, they had brought Mark from the training compound, back into the clan's main house. Vaughn's only memory of Mark before that day, was that of a trembling ten-year-old boy, who kept his gaze downwards, onto the floor. Obviously, he had realized that the little blond boy would have grown up into a young man, but he was still taken aback when he met Mark for the second time. Gone was the fear, and the nervousness, as the seventeen-year-old Mark had raised his face to meet Vaughn's eyes and grinned.

"Hiya! I am Mark, remember me?" Mark had held out his hand for a handshake.

Vaughn nodded and shook Mark's hand. Green. His eyes are green, he thought.

"Great! Well first, I just wanted to say, that it's an honor to become your soul keeper, Silver Wolf", Mark said, still smiling.

Hearing that, Vaughn had nodded again wordlessly. He was not much of a talker.

They had became inseparable since that day. They ate together, and studied together. When they weren't studying, they would just hang out, play sports, or go out into the town together. Mark had turned out to be a decent guy, and Vaughn had considered him a friend. They had celebrated their eighteenth birthdays together, first Mark's, and then Vaughn's, a week later. They had looked forward to the bonding ritual, which would take place a day after Vaughn's birthday.

Yes, those were the happiest of times, Vaughn thought.

On the day of the ritual, Vaughn had accidentally overheard his father mentioned to his own soul keeper about how Mark came into the clan. The conversation had pierced Vaughn's heart, and he just couldn't get it out of his head. He was sitting in the ceremonial room, clad in his black kimono, mulling that he ought to call off this ritual, and tell his friend the truth. Mark should be given the chance to decide for himself, whether he still want to become my soul keeper, Vaughn had thought. But then Mark had entered the room, wearing a pristine, white kimono, and the sight of him had caught Vaughn's breath. Vaughn had thought of white lilies, so lovely and pure, and his resolve had melted away...

"Morning, handsome". Vaughn jumped, jolted back into reality.

"Oh...it's you, Princess", he addressed a beautiful woman who had materialized out of nowhere. Then he frowned at her, "You should use the doorbell, and the front door, like everybody else".

The Witch princess peered at him, "Why? Are you afraid that I would catch you and Mark doing something naughty in the kitchen, hm?"

Vaughn didn't respond, but his face was turning red. The Witch Princess smirked. Now you are definitely thinking of doing something naughty with Mark in the kitchen, aren't you? She thought with satisfaction. Then she looked around the kitchen, "Speaking of Mark, where is that cutie pie?"

"Hey, look at what I got!" Mark, the cutie pie, came into the kitchen excitedly, holding a package. Han the boy, was trailing behind him. "Will just gave us some chocolate and strawberries!" Mark held out the package to show Vaughn. Vaughn shot him a look.

"What? It's just chocolate!" Mark held the package against his chest defensively. There was no way he was going to give up the chocolate. Vaughn sighed and shook his head. One of these days, Mark, he thought, your sweet tooth is going to get you in trouble.

"Who is Will? Your new boyfriend?" There was a mischievous glint in the Witch Princess' crimson eyes.

Mark blushed, "No. He is Vaughn's friend. By...by the way, why are you here, Princess?"

The Witch Princess smiled at Mark, "You are so cute when you blush. Has Vaughn ever told you that?".

"Anyway," she raised her hand to silence Mark's stuttering, red-faced protest. "I am not here to play matchmaker between you two. I am here because I have a job for you. One of my teddy bears, named Brownie, is missing". The Witch Princess was an avid collector of teddy bears.

"Then go look for it yourself. We are not in business of finding lost toys", Mark said hotly.

"This is a special teddy bear", the Witch Princess ignored Mark. "I need someone like you two to find it".

Mark wrinkled his forehead. "What's so special about Brownie?"

"Well, if Brownie is upset or scared, he may try to feed on someone's life force".

"Feed on life force? What are you saying? That it's some kind of vampiric teddy bear?" Mark asked in disbelief.

"Yes. That is what I am saying", the Witch Princess pronounced her words slowly, and gave Mark a look that seemed to say, what are you, deaf? "And it's a he, not an it", she added, crossing her arms in front of her, glaring at Mark.

Mark sighed. He didn't really want to say no because the Witch Princess was a powerful witch. She wasn't evil, but she wasn't exactly benevolent either. She was a very ancient creature. After living for so long, and seeing so much, the Witch Princess had developed her own values and moral compass, which may or may not agree with the general human practices. It was not a good idea to anger her at all, Mark thought.

"Alright, okay", Mark finally said. "We'll look for Brownie for you. But I am just curious, why don't you look for it yourself? It should pretty easy for you".

"Because I don't have time. I am going to play chess with the Harvest King from the Harmonica Town today, in a few minutes. I will need all my concentration", the Witch Princess answered.

"Fine. Do you have anything that we can use for Vaughn to follow Brownie's trail? Something with Brownie's scent on it?" Does teddy bear even have a scent? Mark wondered.

"Yes. This is his blanket. You can use that. Let me know when you find him", the Witch Princess held out a small, fluffy-looking blanket. Then she disappeared from the kitchen in the next heartbeat

Mark took the blanket and went outside, followed by Vaughn and Han. He placed the blanket on the ground and nodded at Vaughn. "Okay, do your thing", he said. Vaughn nodded. He pulled his shirt above his head, and unzipped his pants. He handed his clothes to Mark. Mark turned to Han, "Watch and learn, Han. You will need to be able to do this one day".

Vaughn morphed into a huge, silvery white wolf, with crimson eyes. His shoulder blades, when he stood on all four, was as tall as Mark's shoulder. Looking at the Wolf, Mark had sighed. Vaughn is such a beautiful wolf, he thought, as he gently caressed the wolf's thick fur. He had never gotten tired looking at Vaughn's wolf form. The Silver Wolf shivered as Mark touched him, and then he sat down to let Mark to grab a handful of his fur, and pulled himself up on top of Vaughn's back, straddling him.

"Ready?" the Silver Wolf growled, and gave the blanket a couple of sniff, "Hold tight" he said as he rushed forward, following the scent. Han transformed into a black panther, and galloped gracefully, as he tried to keep up with the Wolf.

They found Brownie in an empty field, and he wasn't what Mark had expected. First of all, he had not expected that the teddy bear would be about seven foot tall. Judging from the size of the blanket that the Witch Princess had brought with her, Mark had thought that Brownie would be more of, well, toy-size. Second of all, he had not expected a teddy bear named Brownie, to have a mouthful of huge, sharp teeth, and evil, red glowing eyes. They found Brownie roared as he shook a townsfolk by his throat. Then he brought the man's face close to his own face, and opened his mouth. The man's life force ebbed away from his mouth like a wisp of smoke, as Brownie inhaled.

"Hey Brownie! Why don't you pick on someone your own size?" Mark yelled at the teddy bear as he jumped off Vaughn.

Brownie stopped inhaling. He dropped the townsfolk and turned to face them. Mark seized this opportunity to run towards him and leaped, kicking him hard in the chest. Brownie staggered a step behind. Then he swiped at Mark with his massive, cuddly arm, sending Mark flying sideways, crushing into the ground. Brownie was about to jump at Mark, when a massive wolf lunged at him, aiming for his shoulder. The giant teddy bear crashed onto the ground on his back. He roared and struggled, but Vaughn kept his jaw clamped on Brownie's shoulder. Han, following Vaughn's example, jumped forward and clamped his own jaw on Brownie's right leg. The teddy bear didn't have a chance.

Mark cursed and rose. He took a spirit seal and flung it at Brownie. As Mark willed it, a small wind whispered, and rustled, propelling the seal towards Brownie's forehead. Brownie roared even louder, and thrashed around, as the seal sank slowly into his forehead. Vaughn and Han let him go, as Brownie started to shrink and shrink, until he was only about a foot-and-a-half long. The evil eyes and teeth were gone, as the now tiny teddy bear whimpered. Mark gently reached for Brownie to examine him carefully.

"Vaughn, look at this", Mark pointed at the back of Brownie's head. A cursed seal, the same mark that they had found on Han, was on the back of the teddy bear's head. The only difference was that the mark was much bigger, and now Mark could see that it resembled a black rose. The stem of the rose curled around Brownie's short neck, and half of his upper body, and it was covered with tiny thorns.

Vaughn morphed into his human form, and put his clothes back on. He hooked a finger around the stem, and gasped as the thorns bit into his skin. They had felt like fire. This one was much stronger than the other, he thought. So he closed his fist around the stem, ignoring the heat of the thorns, and pulled harder. The stem finally started to unravel, and the black rose popped out of Brownie's head.

"Who could be doing this?" Mark wondered. Brownie whimpered, so Mark gathered him in his arm gently, trying to comfort the teddy bear. There, there, you are safe now, he said soothingly. Then he turned to Han, "Hey, Han, who cursed you that night when we met you?"

Han shuddered, "I don't know. I didn't see his face, but I think he is some sort of warlock".

"We should get that townsfolk to the clinic", Vaughn said, gesturing towards the unconscious townsfolk with his head.

"So this is what you do in your spare time, Vaughn".

Vaughn turned around and saw Will strolling towards them, with Elliot trailing behind.

"Will", Vaughn growled.

"I was watching you capturing that giant teddy bear. I think you guys did very well", Will ignored Vaughn, and smiled at Mark instead.

"I helped", Han said.

Will reached out and ruffled Han's hair, "Yes, I saw you. You were very brave". He winked at Han, which caused the boy to blush.

"Well, if you want, I can take that townsfolk to the clinic, since Elliot and I are heading that way anyway. So you can bring the teddy bear back to the Witch Princess", Will spoke to Mark, flashing a brilliant smile.

"You would do that? Hey thanks", Mark brightened. The sooner we finished this business with the Witch Princess, the better, he thought.

"My pleasure. Elliot, please help me", Will said, as he hooked his arm around the townsfolk, and gently lifted him off the ground.

Mark, Vaughn and Han made their way to the Witch Princess' house to deliver Brownie.

"Brownie!" The Witch Princess squeezed the brown teddy bear. Brownie made small mewling noises as he buried his face into her shoulder.

"I am so worried about you! Why did you run away?"

Brownie looked up with his big brown eyes, and sniffed, "Because you don't have time for me. You are always so busy doing something. I...I thought you don't love me anymore..."

"Silly...silly bear. Of course I still love you. I will always love you, no matter how busy I get. So what happened?"

Brownie broke into tears, "It was sooo scary! Hic! I was walking, minding my own business when hic! A bag was thrown over me, and someone hit me hard in the head. The next thing I knew...hic! I was in the field, feeling so angry and...and..."

"And he started to feed on one townsfolk", Mark finished Brownie's sentence. "But I think we stop Brownie in time so the townsfolk should be okay. He will recover".

"Brownie! How many times have I told you that when you are upset, you can't just go around and feeding on people?" The Witch Princess held Brownie at arm's length and glared at him.

"I don't think it was him, Princess. We found this cursed seal on the back of his head. We think someone put it there to provoke Brownie. But no worries, Vaughn already broke the curse", Mark spoke.

"Really? Huh, I guess I owe you one", The Witch Princess eyed Mark and Vaughn.

"Ah, don't worry about that. We are just doing our job, so...er, if we can get our money, we will be on our way" Mark grinned.

"Money?" The Witch Princess looked puzzled. "You mean you want to get paid? With money? But I don't have any money".

"Excuse me?"

"I don't have any money. I have never bothered with money because I have never needed it", the Witch Princess shrugged. Then she thought of something. "How about if I just arrange a romantic date for you two, anywhere you want in the world. How about that, hm?"

Vaughn's face brightened for a second, and then fell, as he heard Mark stammering, "N..no...that's fine. That's fine. You...you don't need to pay us"

The Witch Princess alternately looked at Vaughn and Mark. Both were red-faced, both were not looking at each other. And Mark, she thought, was protesting a little too much. She sighed. Humans were very complicated creatures, she concluded. No matter how long she had lived among them, she still couldn't understand their unpredictable emotions. She had thought that these two ought to get together because they seemed to like each other a lot. She just couldn't understand, for the life of her, why these two resisted so much. She shrugged. It was their lost. She had tried to be nice.

End of Chapter 6


	7. Chapter 7: Heartbreak Clinic

Author's note: thank you everyone who had been reading, and leaving reviews. They are very much appreciated. Please let me know if you like the plot/characters so far, or if anything needed to be improved. Thanks.

Chapter 7: Heartbreak Clinic

Trent washed his hands after he finished his last patient for the day. He carefully scrubbed the skin between his fingers with soap and warm water. Germs, he thought. Bloody germs were everywhere. He looked around the small examination room, and thought how he ought to get this place scrubbed clean. Look at all this dust and mold, he thought, as he looked at the floor. Breeding place for germs. He looked at his hands again with exasperation. He still didn't feel clean. He turned the tap back on, and was about to wash his hands once more, when he heard someone opened the door to his small clinic.

"We are closed", he called out, as he dried his hand, and walked out of his examination room, into the waiting room. He stopped when he saw the person who was standing in the middle of the waiting room.

"Hello, Trent. How are you today?" Will smiled as he greeted the doctor. He nodded at an unconscious man, slouching on one of the chairs in the waiting room. "I am afraid you have another patient", he continued.

Will, Trent thought. Just the very name invoked a rush of memories in his head. He had just lost Elli, his wife, after she went through a long and painful battle with an illness. Trent had felt like a failure. Everyday, he had helped people to get better, yet he had failed to help his own wife. He was drinking at a bar, determined to drown his grief in alcohol, when a good-looking, young man started talking to him. The man's name was Will. One thing led to another, and they ended up in bed.

In the morning, he had felt panic and a little sick, for he had never slept with a man before. But then looking at Will, he had felt stirrings in his heart. Not gentle, lovely feelings that he had for his belated wife Elli, but carnal, and more urgent feelings. It was raw lust, he knew instantly, pure and simple. Now that Will was back, wearing that same white suit that he had worn when their first met, Trent once again, felt desire warming his stomach.

They had slept together a few more times after that first meeting, and Trent had told Will, his plan of bringing Elli back. Will had listened carefully, and he had offered to help. Few days later, Will told him that he had some clan business to attend to, and that he would have to leave the town. He had promised to keep in touch, and to visit him. Then there were those incidents, and after awhile, the locals had started to look at Trent suspiciously. So he had decided to move to this island for a new start.

Will looked at Trent in the eye, and knew exactly what the other man was thinking. He tilted his head and smiled, as he sauntered closer to Trent.

"Did you like my gift? Did you miss me?" Will whispered, as he cupped his hands around Trent's face, and pulled Trent towards him for a soft kiss. Trent groaned. He wrapped his arms around Will and kissed him back, long and hard, desperately.

"Wait here, Elliot", Will turned his head towards his soul keeper, as Trent roughly dragged him into the examination room. Suddenly Trent stopped, causing Will to bump into him.

"I..I am sorry. The room is so dirty. I will have to clean it first...the mold...the dust..." Trent said, his voice faltering.

Will peered into the small examination room. It was neat and sparkling clean. He couldn't see any mold or dust, and he wondered for a second of what mold and dust Trent was talking about. Then he closed the door of the small room gently.

"Don't think about the room", Will said in a low voice. His lips brushed against Trent's neck, as he slipped the doctor's white coat off Trent's shoulder. The other man shivered. "Think of me", Will moaned, as Trent pinned him against the wall...

Elliot slumped into a chair and trying hard not to cry, as he listened to the subdued moans coming from the examination room. Why did Will always do this, he wondered. Without warning, Elliot's eyes started to tear up. I am not enough for him. I am just one of his playthings, like his other men and women.

Elliot had thought that if he had kept his distance from Will, then maybe, Will would have liked him more, and maybe, he would have seen that Elliot was different than the others. Elliot covered his eyes with his hands, and sobbed quietly. But Will didn't care, he would force himself onto Elliot whenever he felt like it, Elliot thought bitterly. Then he would turn around and sleep with other people. He doesn't love me! Why doesn't he love me? Elliot bit his fist to prevent himself from shouting out loud, as tears sliding down his cheeks to his chin.

End of Chapter 7


	8. Chapter 8: Jungle Boy & Harvest Sprites

Author's Note: I have forgotten to consider what would happen to Vaughn's clothes as he changed from human to wolf, and vice versa. I have fixed this in Chapter 6 by adding a line here and there about the clothing. Obviously Vaughn would have to take his clothes off or he would rip them apart as he morphed. Hopefully I won't forgotten about it from now on. Enjoy. Thanks for reading.

Chapter 8: The Jungle Boy and The Harvest Sprites

Han was roaming the forest in his panther form, when the trap sprung on him. He was sniffing a dead rabbit when suddenly, a cage made out of tree branches fell on him, trapping him inside. He roared in panic, and his first instinct was to ram himself repeatedly against the cage, trying to break it. But sadly, the cage was quite sturdy. Han was pacing around the cage, growling, trying to figure out how to get out when he saw the jungle boy, jumping out of the bushes.

The jungle boy had smooth olive skin, and brown eyes. Han's eyes grew bigger with fear as he recognized the tiger skin that the mysterious boy was using as clothing. He was definitely going to die today, Han thought, as he quivered in his cage. He roared fiercely at the jungle boy, trying to scare him, but the other boy merely looked at Han with a curious look on his face. Then he started to talk rapidly in a language that Han doesn't understand.

"Please...don't hurt me", Han said weakly, as he morphed into his boy form.

The jungle boy jumped back, "What?...What are you?...hu...human?" He stuttered.

"Er...yes?" Han said, hopefully. He didn't really want to explain that he was actually a cat spirit. Maybe if he thinks I am human, he will let me go, Han thought.

"It's you! Evil spirit! You kill people! Now Shea kill you!" The jungle boy unsheathed a large knife, and approached the cage. He opened the cage door, and entered the cage slowly, slashing his knife at Han, trying to force him into a corner.

"Aaagh! Wait! No...no wait! I didn't kill anybody! I swear!"

"Oy! Let him go!" A voice rung behind Shea. He whipped his head quickly to see two men standing a few feet away. Shea waved his hand trying to warn them.

"Stay away! Danger! He is bad spirit! He is no boy! Shea kill him!" Shea yelled. But while he was distracted, trying to warn the two men, Han, the panther, used this opportunity to leap at Shea, and knocked him down onto the ground.

"Stop! Stop that Han! Don't hurt him!" Mark rushed forward. He quickly opened the cage door, to let Han out, before Han had any idea that he ought to sink his teeth into the other boy's throat. Then he peered at the jungle boy lying on the ground.

"Sorry about that. But you look like you were going to hurt him so we have to stop you", Mark offered his hand to Shea. Shea took Mark's hand, and let Mark helped him stand.

"I am Mark. This is Vaughn, and this is Han, our spirit familiar. He can be a little naughty sometimes, but he is not a bad spirit really. You don't have to kill him".

"Shea", Shea thumped at his chest to introduce himself. He glanced at Han, who was now hiding behind Mark, clutching Mark's shoulder. Well, the boy didn't look evil, Shea finally agreed. Actually, he looked more scared than evil. Shea huffed, and re-sheathed his knife. He was sure that he had caught the evil spirit that was terrorizing the villagers in this part of the woods. He was quite disappointed to find out otherwise.

"So what is this about a bad spirit?" Mark asked.

"Bad spirit kill people, many people in the woods. Shea find him. Shea kill him!" Shea gestured with his fist.

Then from somewhere deep in the woods, they heard screaming. Shea jumped, and started running towards the sound, with the rest of the group trailing behind him.

They came into a terrible sight in the woods. A swarm of little, flying faes were attacking a bloodied woman. Few feet from her, there was a male laid unmoving on the ground, also bloodied.

"What the...?"

Some of the faes turned around, and buzzed towards the group. Mark opened his hand towards them, and a breeze whispered passed him, knocking some of the faes backwards. But a few remained on their course, and rammed themselves onto the young men. The men frantically trying to slap the faes away.

"Ow!" Mark yelped as one of the creatures hit him in the forehead hard, with something sharp. He cursed and swatted at the fae, sending it crushing into the ground. He felt his forehead with his fingers, and found a wet spot. When he looked at his wet fingers, he could see that it was stained red with blood. Then he looked up and realized, that the rest of the swarm was now heading their way.

"Give me your hand!" Mark clasped Vaughn's left hand without waiting for his response. Palm to palm, he held Vaughn's hand with his right hand, their matching marks met, and sparks were flying. Literally. Once again, Mark lifted his hand towards the swarm, and this time, a more violent wind formed, like a small tornado. The tornado swallowed the swarm, turning and churning. Then the little faes started to drop like flies, onto the ground, moaning and disoriented. After the last fae fell onto the ground, Mark stopped. Then he approached one of them gingerly.

As soon as he saw that familiar black rose, he cursed. The fae's small body was covered with a thorny, black stem. Mark's heart sunk. There were so many of them. There was no way, Vaughn could break them all.

"What are they?" Han asked.

"Small. So small", Shea said with awe. He had thought that the evil spirit haunting this woods would be bigger. How could something so small, could be so destructive, he wondered.

"They are harvest sprites. They are usually very peaceful creatures", the Witch Princess materialized behind them, causing all the men to jump. She ignored their protest, and peered closely at the writhing sprite. "I see. So this is the spell you are talking about. The one that provoked Brownie". The spell dissolved as soon as she touched it with her finger.

"That was amazing" Vaughn was stunned, and he was not a kind of person who got impressed easily.

The Witch Princess smirked. Humans, she thought, so impressionable. "Watch this", she said. She muttered a spell, and opened both of her palms. Small, round spheres of light emanated from both of her hands, and floated towards the sprites. Whenever the sphere touched a sprite, it dissolved the black rose spell. The sprites groaned, and were coming back to life.

"Thank you for freeing us", one of the sprites, presumably the leader of the swarm, addressed the Witch Princess. "We are in your debt".

The Witch Princess thought for a moment, "Well, you can repay your debt by cleaning my house, cooking my meals, and so on. What do you say?"

"Ah...", the Sprite was speechless for a moment. "...uh, of course. Of course. My brothers and I, will be happy to do that for you" he continued lamely.

"Good. You can call me Princess", the Witch Princess said, "And I will call you Mochi from now on".

A bead of sweat appeared on Mochi's forehead, "Er...but Princess, I already have a name..." He stopped, as he saw the sharp look that the Witch Princess gave him. "...But of course, Mochi is definitely a much better name", he concluded.

Mark's face brightened. "Ooh...what about my farm? Can I also get some of your brothers to work in my farm, Mochi?"

Mochi pouted at Mark, crossing his arms, "Not for you, meanie. You hit me". He pointed at his crooked hat.

"But...but...I did that because you were hitting me in the forehead", Mark argued, while pointing at his own bloody forehead.

Mochi merely huffed, and looked away, still pouting. His arms were crossed in front of his tiny chest. Mark sighed. He wasn't going to win this one. Then he felt fingers on his chin.

"We need to get you to the clinic to get your forehead checked", Vaughn gently held Mark's chin, to slightly tilt his face up, and peered at the bloody forehead.

Mark felt his face burning. "I...I don't think we need to do that. I feel fine. I am sure that it looks worse than it actually is", he said, not looking at Vaughn, but he didn't move his head away either. He let Vaughn's fingers lingered on his chin.

"Alright", Vaughn said as he disrobed. Then he changed into a wolf. "Hop on. And pile all those two injured ones on me. I'll get us all home".

As the group was rushing to get home, they had failed to notice, a pair of dark eyes, hiding in the dark, watching them.

End of Chapter 8


	9. Chapter 9: Heart of an Heir

Chapter 9: Heart of an Heir

The summer morning was already a scorching one as Mark led his cow, Betsy, to the small patch of pasture nearby the farm house. Then as Betsy grazed calmly, he started to brush her.

Han was watering the crops when he heard someone called his name. He turned around just in time to see a large fish thrust in his face.

"Fish for panther. Tasty," Shea held the fish up, smiling at the cat boy. "Sorry for yesterday", he added.

"Er...thanks...I'll...I'll put it in the fridge", Han took the fish cautiously. His eyes darted around to make sure that there was no trap or cage sprung on him.

"Fridge? What is fridge?" Shea looked at Han questioningly.

"What? Don't tell me you have never seen a fridge?" Han looked at Shea with disbelief, forgetting that he himself had never seen a fridge until he started to live with Mark and Vaughn. "Come on. I show you", he gestured at Shea to follow him, into the farmhouse.

"Morning, Mark," a feminine voice greeted Mark.

"Oh hey, Julia, Chelsea. How are you girls doing?" Mark stopped brushing Betsy, and turned around. The cow mooed in protest.

"Great, we are fine. How are you doing?" Julia answered.

"Oh you know, the usual. Cows, crops, chickens...this is the life, right?" Mark grinned. "So, what bring you girls here?"

Vaughn walked out of the farmhouse at that very moment, and Chelsea went to him to greet him. Mark watched the two of them. Chelsea was blushing a little, as she said something to stoic-looking Vaughn.

"They are cute together, aren't they?" Julia spoke to Mark with a low voice. Mark had stiffened, but Julia didn't notice. "We are here because I was hoping that you can convince Vaughn to take Chelsea out on a date. She likes him, you know, but she was too shy to ask him out"

"Is that so?" Mark said, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible. I don't want them to go on a date. A thought slipped into his mind, and caught him by surprise. Stop it, he admonished himself silently. What are you thinking? He fumed to himself. You don't want to fool around with boys anymore, remember? You want to find a girlfriend, remember? Besides, if Vaughn has a girlfriend, maybe he will stop being so...so...loving. No, no, stop that! This time Mark slapped his forehead. He winced. He had forgotten of the still healing wound on his forehead from the harvest sprite attack. He gingerly touched the small bandage that covered his wound, recalling how yesterday, Vaughn had gently cleansed, and dressed the wound for him.

Julia frowned as she looked at Mark, who was hesitating, slapping himself, and muttering in low voice, and had misunderstood him. She thought that maybe, Mark was feeling left behind, that he was envious because he himself didn't have any date. She rolled her eyes. Mark wasn't really her type. She preferred someone calmer, more subdued, more mature, and definitely not as weird. Things that I do for my friend, she thought. That Chelsea owes me one. Big time.

"You know..." Julia smiled at Mark. "Maybe we can go on a double date tomorrow? There is a concert in the mainland that I have been wanting to go to. What do you say? You and me, Chelsea and Vaughn".

"Sorry, Julia. But Mark had promised that he will go with me to visit my father tomorrow", Vaughn said. Somehow, he managed to stand behind Julia and Mark without any of them noticing. He put one arm around Mark's shoulder.

"What? Now you want to go?" Mark raised his eyebrows. He looked at Vaughn suspiciously.

"Yup", Vaughn responded.

"Does it have to be tomorrow?" Mark protested. "Can't we do it on some other days?"

"Nope".

Mark sighed. Vaughn could be very stubborn when he had made up his mind. He turned to Julia, "Sorry, Julia. But I can't go. As you can see, this grumpy man suddenly decided that he wants to go somewhere else tomorrow. Sorry. Maybe some other time".

Julia wrinkled her forehead, but she didn't say anything. She and Chelsea then bid the men goodbye, and retraced their steps out of the farms.

It took Vaughn and Mark two days of travel to reach the Silver Wolfe's main house. Han had begged to come, but Mark had told the cat boy that he needed to stay in the farm to keep an eye on things, feed the animals, water the crops, and so on. Han had pouted, sulked and protested out loud. But then Vaughn had promised him with a low voice, that he would bring back souvenirs and trinkets, if Han promised to behave. That seemed to cheer Han somewhat, and he finally agreed to stay behind. Shea had told Mark and Vaughn not to worry, for he was going to come to the farmhouse everyday, to make sure that nothing would happen to Han while they were gone.

"Young master! I haven't seen you in ages! Please, please come in" An old maidservant had greeted Vaughn and Mark at the front door of the clan's main house. "Why don't you tell me you are coming today? I could have made you some porridge!" She glared at him. She had watched Vaughn growing up as his nanny, ever since Vaughn's mother passed away. She had loved him, as if he was her own.

The corner of Vaughn's mouth curved into a small smile. "Don't fuss nanny. You always fuss too much".

Hearing that, the old nanny had squirmed with delight. But then she huffed, and told Vaughn that she wasn't fussing. As a matter of fact, she told him, she wouldn't fuss over a brat like him, who had decided to leave her, and never once inclined to visit her. Then she led Mark and Vaughn to the main house's sitting room to see the Great Wolf.

"How is work?" The Great Wolf addressed his son solemnly. They were facing each other, sitting across a table, on flat pillows on the floor. There were steaming cups of tea on the table. On another short table at the corner of the room, Mark sat with the Great Wolf's soul keeper, a graceful, older man, chatting. Vaughn watched them as Mark said something to the older man, which made the older soul keeper chuckled.

"It's fine", Vaughn said, turning his attention back to his father. He did not know what else to say. After a few moments of silence, he finally asked, "How is your health father?"

"I am not getting younger", The Great Wolf sighed. Then he glanced at Vaughn, "Why don't you move back here, son? It's about time you helped me with the clan's affairs. One day, they will be your responsibility, you know".

"You are strong and healthy, father. You will live a very long life..." Vaughn didn't look at his father. "You don't need my help".

The Great Wolf sighed again. His temper rose. What a stubborn boy, he thought. "If you insist", he said sharply. Then, he said, "Have you met any suitable prospect? Soon, you will be at a proper age to marry. I hope you will introduce me to a nice girl on your next visit".

The Great Wolf might be older, but his sharp eyes still didn't miss much. He saw how Vaughn surreptitiously glanced at Mark at the mention of finding a bride.

Although it was not openly acknowledged, it was not uncommon for the wolf men and their soul keepers to develop emotional and sexual bonds, and ended up in bed together. The Great Wolf himself, after his wife had passed away, had taken his own soul keeper into his bed. So personally, he didn't care whether or not Mark and Vaughn were sleeping together. He didn't care, as long as Vaughn understood, that as a sole heir to the Silver Wolfe clan, it was his duty to marry, and bear children to continue the bloodline. He had mentioned this to Vaughn many times before.

"I don't know what is going on between you and Mark. But you will find a nice girl to marry!" the Great Wolf said, a little more heated than he had intended.

"No, I can't. I lo..." Vaughn stopped himself. Then he straightened his spine, looked at his father in the eye, and said, "...I don't need anyone else. I have Mark".

The Great Wolf's eyes narrowed. "Vaughn, you are nineteen years old! You don't know anything about love. Besides, nothing is more important than the clan. Not even love!"

Vaughn's blood boiled. Not to me. Nothing is more important to me than Mark, he thought stubbornly. I would give up the clan, and the whole world if I have to, but I would never belong to anyone but him. That was what Vaughn had wanted to say. But he didn't think his father would understand. So he just sat there quietly, betraying the turbulence in his heart, keeping his face as expressionless as possible.

So the two wolves sat, across each other, in stubborn silence. Thousands of miles might as well separated the father and son, instead of inches of wooden table, for none of them was going to compromise, none of them was going to reach out to the other. Then Vaughn told his father that he would like to take his leave, as he needed to get back to work.

As they parted, the Great Wolf pulled Mark aside. "Thank you for taking care of my son, Mark. I hope he doesn't cause you any trouble", he said.

"Ah, no, no. Vaughn is a good friend. He is no trouble whatsoever", Mark grinned.

The Great Wolf nodded. "Tell me, is there any girl that Vaughn like in the island?"

"Ah...well...", Mark thought of Chelsea. His grin disappeared.

"Because you know, as the only heir of the clan, it is very important for Vaughn to find someone to marry, and have children with. It's the only way for the bloodline to survive. Vaughn knows this. I hope you understand", the Great Wolf peered at Mark closely, watching for his reaction.

Mark looked away, hoping that the struggle in his heart didn't reach his face. "Of course, Great Wolf. I understand", he said, as evenly as he could. Then he said his goodbye, and quickened his pace to catch up with Vaughn.

"You are too hard on them. They are young, let them be", said the Great Wolf's soul keeper, from across the room.

"He needs to learn about his responsibility sooner than later, Haru", the Great Wolf sighed. "Sometimes I wish that Vaughn is more like the Golden Wolf. Now that is a young man who knows his duty to the clan!"

After a moment of silence, Haru responded, "You know Great Wolf, you can still re-marry and father more children".

"I am too old for that", the Great Wolf snapped, not looking at Haru.

Haru tilted his head towards the Great Wolf, and smiled. Nonsense, he thought. You just don't want to. He sighed, and shook his head. Like father, like son, how could they not see how much alike they were.

Then his thought turned to Will, the Golden Wolf, and he frowned. He himself didn't like Will as much as the Great Wolf did. Will might seem like a perfect alpha candidate: bright, charismatic, and ambitious. But there was something about Will that didn't sit well with Haru. He had thought that he caught a calculating coldness in Will's eyes more than once. He didn't like the way Will would use any means possible, to climb ranks in the pack. Then there was his family history...

Yes, there was something about that young man that really bothered Haru. He himself preferred Vaughn. But then again, Haru thought, he had watched Vaughn growing up so he was biased. He believed that although Vaughn might not be as charismatic as Will, he had a gentle heart. A true heart. But is that enough? Haru asked himself. We, nevertheless, are among wolves...

Speaking of the devil, Haru thought. A servant had shown Will and Elliot in. Will bowed at the Great Wolf to greet him, and sat with him, while Elliot came and sat with Haru. Not once did Will glance at Haru, or acknowledge him.

"How are you dear?" Haru addressed Elliot, as he watched Will and the Great Wolf conversing.

"Fi..fine", Elliot said with a small voice.

Something in Elliot's voice caused Haru to glance at him. Haru frowned. No, you are not, he thought, as he eyed Elliot more closely. The boy seemed nervous, and although it was a hot summer day, he was wearing a long sleeve turtle neck top.

"How is your family? I heard you and Will visited them in the island?"

"They are fine", Elliot answered.

"How is everything with Will? Are you guys getting along?" Haru glanced sideways at Elliot.

Poor Elliot. He squirmed at the question. He cast his eyes towards the floor, and mumbled, "..uh...fi...fine".

Haru waited for Elliot to continue. When he didn't, Haru had felt sorry for the boy. Elliot had seemed so sad and lost, Haru thought. He reached over the table, and gave the boy's arm a little squeeze. Elliot flinched.

"My dear, you can always come to me, and tell me anything okay?" Haru said to the boy gently. "Anything at all".

Elliot looked up. He seemed as if he wanted to say something, but then he wavered for a moment or two.

"What...what would you do if...if say, your sister is doing something that you know will ruin her, and yet she had determined to do it? Because it was what she had wanted to do all her life?" Finally, Elliot asked, whispering.

Is it really your sister or is it Will, Haru pondered. Something told him that it wasn't Elliot's sister that the boy was concerned about. Watch your words carefully, he told himself silently. They could be the most important words this boy needed to hear.

"Sometimes, intervention is the hardest and most loving thing you can do", Haru said, watching Elliot's face carefully. Elliot was silent. He kept his head down.

Haru sighed. There was a wind of change sweeping across the clan. Unfortunately, he couldn't determine which way it was going to go.

End of Chapter 9


	10. Chapter 10: Love Letters

Author's note: thanks for reading and review, everyone. I am on summer vacation at the moment so I will try to update regularly. Here is the next chapter, enjoy.

Chapter 10: Love Letters

"You gotta help me, Mark. You gotta!" Denny whined.

Mark sighed, and put down his knife. Han, Shea and himself, were carving pumpkins in the kitchen for the Hallow's Eve tonight. Well, okay, he and Han were carving pumpkins. Shea merely butchered his pumpkin into little pieces with his huge hunting knife.

"Alright, alright. Tell me what happened again?" Mark washed his hands in the sink, and then poured two cups of coffee. He offered one cup to Denny. He saw Denny reaching for the chocolate chip cookies that he had baked earlier, so he slapped Denny's hand away.

"Those are for the trick-or-treating children", Mark explained.

"But you ate a bunch of them this morning", Han chirped, looking up from his pumpkin.

Mark's face was turning red as he shot Han a look, which caused the cat boy to double his effort on the pumpkin. Denny smirked. But then he turned serious.

"Anyway...It's this girl I used to date before I came to this island. Her name was Hanna. She was sick...and she, she died last year..." Denny looked at his coffee mug forlornly. Then he proceeded by telling Mark, how today, she had appeared to him in his house, and wouldn't leave him alone. She had looked a little hazy and transparent, but Denny had recognized her right away. She had seemed angry, shaking her fist, and shouting something to him. But there was no voice coming out of her.

"Please, Mark", Denny begged, "You gotta tell her to leave me alone!"

"Okay, calm down. Let's go to your house. Han, Shea, you guys stay here. Keep working on those pumpkins. Vaughn should be home soon", Mark said, as he led Denny out of the farmhouse.

True to Denny's word, as soon as they entered his house, a slender ghost of a girl stood in the middle of the living room. She had short, spiky red hair, and at the moment, she was glaring at Mark and Denny.

"There you are, you moron!" She said heatedly. "Are you ready to listen to me now?"

"He can't hear you, Hanna. There is no point of screaming at him", Mark said calmly.

"And who are you?" Hanna frowned, crossing her arms in front of her.

"I am Mark, Denny's friend".

Hanna didn't respond. She simply glowered at Mark.

"Er...well, I can see, and hear you. Soo...if you have something to tell him, you can tell me, and I would let him know".

Finally, Hanna sighed, and shook her. "Great", she said, rolling her eyes. "I used my only pass to be able to come back to this realm, only to find out that he couldn't hear me". She looked at Mark a little more closely. Then an idea came into her mind. "Actually, why don't you get a pen and a paper. I want you to help me write Denny a letter".

"Okay, I'll help you. And then you will leave him alone?" Mark asked.

"Yeah, yeah. Just get the pen and paper, will ya?" Hanna waved her hand impatiently.

"What did she say?" Denny whispered.

"You'll know in a few minutes. Do you have a pen and paper I can use?"

Denny rummaged in his kitchen drawers, and handed Mark a pen and paper. Mark laid down the paper on the coffee table, and started to write. After few moments, he handed the letter to Denny. Denny raised his eyebrows, and took the letter, starting to read out loud.

"Dear my idiotic boyfriend,

Yes, I am talking to you, Denny. I am sick and tired of watching you torturing yourself mentally for no good reason. Why on earth you do that to yourself is beyond me. I am talking about you, and my older brother, Lance. No, don't even try to deny it. I have known it all along. You like him, don't you? Not in the "oh he is the brother of my girlfriend" kind of way. But in the "I wish I am dating him" kind of way.

Denny, Denny. We were best friends, weren't we? I bet I know you better than yourself. I bet you are feeling guilty for liking my brother, for liking a guy in general. Listen to me. I don't want you to suffer. It's not your fault. It's just who you are. Don't feel guilty, love. We have to be true to ourselves. Don't let other people tell you who you are supposed to be, or what you are supposed to feel.

I am long dead, passed on, six feet under, etc, etc. So why on earth do you still feel guilty about liking my brother? Yeah, sure it hurt me when I first realized that you love my brother more than you love me. But I moved on. That's right. I moved on. If the dead can move on, then the living can to. So move on, Denny. Life is too short for not being with the one you love, don't you think? We had good times together, but you need to move on now. You need to live. I want you to live. Please. Stop being a moron.

So you will move on, accept what your heart tells you, and live with it, got it? Or I swear, I'll haunt you on every Hallow's Eve for the rest of your life!

Eternally your friend,

Hanna"

Denny looked at the letter, and was silent for a long time. Then he raised his face towards the ghost, Hanna.

"Thanks, Hanna. I will", Denny said, smiling a little, trying hard not to cry. Hanna smiled at him, and blew him a kiss. Then she melted into thin air.

Mark was silent. Hanna's words haunted him. We have to be true to ourselves, she had said. Life is too short for not being with the one you love. Then he cleared his throat.

"So...uh, did you really like her brother, Lance?" Mark asked.

"Yeah", Denny blinked his tears away. He was a man, so he was not going to cry.

"It started when Hanna was ill", Denny said. "She was in hospital, so I visited her everyday. Her brother, Lance, was there too everyday, and we got to talk, you know. I guess I started to fall for him then. But I have never told him, 'cos...'cos he is the brother of my sick girlfriend, right? And he is a guy. I mean, I am not supposed to like a guy, right? Then after Hanna died, I moved here. Lance and I were kinda drifted apart after that".

Mark nodded wordlessly. He thought of his resolve to stop fooling around with boys, and find himself a girlfriend. Lately however, his desire to find a girlfriend was dwindling. I am just happy being with Vaughn, he thought. He had never wanted anyone else, Mark realized, and the realization hit him like a hammer. His head started to ache, and so was his heart.

"So what you are going to do now?" Mark asked Denny.

"Well, unfortunately, when I last heard from Lance, he was telling me that he had found a new boyfriend..." Denny sighed. "But, from now on. I swear, I am going to tell whomever I like how I feel, no matter what. Even if he is a guy, I won't hesitate. I won't lose another one", Denny's brown eyes flashed with determination.

"Well, good for you", Mark said weakly.

"So, how could you tell whether or not a guy, you know, swing that way?" Denny asked.

Mark shot Denny a look, "How the fuck should I know?"

"Oh...I thought you and Vaughn..."

"Well, you thought wrong", Mark cut Denny off, brusquely. His headache was getting worse. "Anyway, I gotta go home. See you", Mark waved as he left Denny, sitting alone in the living room, reminiscing.

Back at the farmhouse, Mark saw Chelsea pacing, back and forth, in front of the house.

"Hey, Chelsea. What are you doing here?" Mark greeted her.

"Oh Mark, thank goddess you are here! I...I want to give this to Vaughn. But I...I just can't do it", Chelsea held up a dainty, flowery smelling, pink envelope. "Could you please, please, give this to Vaughn? Please?"

Mark took the envelope numbly. He knew what it was, without even having to read it. It was a love confession letter. At first, he wanted to tell Chelsea that he couldn't do it. But then he recalled what the Great Wolf said about Vaughn, and his duty as an heir. Chelsea is a nice girl, he thought. She was even a better farmer and rancher than Mark. Her produce and animals had won prices. Of course Mark realized, that whose produce was better, didn't really matter in this case. What mattered was that she was a girl, something he could never be. So finally, he told Chelsea that he would give the letter to Vaughn.

"Oh thank you! Thank you Mark! You are such a good guy", Chelsea shrieked with delight and relief. Then she said in a low voice, "If you ever like any girl in the island, you tell me, okay? I'll help you, I promise".

"Thanks. I'll remember that", Mark smiled weakly. He put his hand gingerly at the back of his head, and grimaced. His head was still pounding.

Chelsea waved goodbye as she raced out of the farm.

Inside the house, Mark found Vaughn leaning at the kitchen counter. There was a little smirk on his face, as he watched Han and Shea cleaning the kitchen from the leftover pumpkins pieces.

"I told them that if they didn't clean up the mess, they wouldn't get dinner", Vaughn spoke to Mark with a low voice. He sounded pleased with himself.

"You got a letter from Chelsea" Mark dropped the sealed pink envelope on the counter beside Vaughn. Vaughn looked at the envelope, and then at Mark. His expression changed into an alarm.

"Are you okay? Are you sick?" Vaughn asked. His hand felt Mark's forehead.

"Yeah, I am fine. Read your damn letter", Mark jerked his head away. "I need a bath", he muttered, as he walked towards the bathroom.

Mark sat in the hot bath, and thought about Hanna, about love, and life. Vaughn, you bastard, he seethed. Why do you have to be so gentle? Why do you have to say all those nonsense, stupid things to me, if you are just going to turn around, and marry some damn girl? With a sinking feeling, Mark realized that he was all alone, once again, and that he would always be alone. Because everyone he cared about, would eventually leave him. Then he gasped, as he tasted something salty.

It took him awhile to realize that he was crying. He felt his heart was shattering into pieces. He rubbed his eyes roughly with his fists, as if he was ten years old again. But the damn tears wouldn't stop flowing. Finally he gave up, and hugged his knees numbly, sitting in the bath tub, surrounded by hot steam. He sighed, as he rested his aching head on his knees, tasting the saltiness of his tears.

In the kitchen, Vaughn absently tore the envelope opened, took out the letter, and started to read. Then he told Shea and Han that he was going to go to Chelsea's farm, and walked out of the house.

End of Chapter 10


	11. Chapter 11: The Black Rose Curse

Author's note: revised to correct, as per treestar55's review. Thanks.

Chapter 11: The Black Rose Curse

Finally, after his fingers were turning to prunes for spending too much time soaking in the tub, Mark decided that it was time to dry off, and put on some clean clothes. Obviously, he couldn't stay in the bathroom forever. After all, he was a man, and he had responsibilities. He had a farm to run. On top of that, he had an impressionable cat boy, and a stubborn wolf man who refused to eat his veggies, to take care of. The thought that he might not need to worry about Vaughn's veggie intake any longer, in the near future, tugged at his heart. But he shrugged it off, or tried to anyway. He couldn't wallow in self-pity forever, he decided. Mark straightened his shoulders, and steeled himself. Yup, he was a grown man after all, and he had responsibilities.

Mark walked into the kitchen, and found it almost clean. Han and Shea were still working, and chattering between themselves, as they were cleaning the kitchen. He didn't see Vaughn.

"Han, Where is Vaughn?" Mark addressed the boy. He saw the opened letter on the kitchen counter, and fought the urge to read it.

"He went to Chelsea's farm", Han answered.

Mark's shoulders fell. Of course. What did he expect? Then he heard someone rang the doorbell.

He opened the door, and found Trent standing on the other side.

"Doctor Trent? This is a surprise. What brings you here?" Mark greeted Trent.

"Hi Mark", Trent shoved his hands into his pockets. "I was just walking in this area, and I thought I would visit your farm"

"I see...er, would you like to come in?"

Trent looked at Mark closely, and frowned. "Are you okay?"

"Oh, yeah I am fine...I just have a headache", Mark said weakly.

"Well then, why don't you come to my place? I will give you something for the headache. You have not seen my new apartment, have you?" Trent smiled at him.

"Okay, but I can't stay long. I will have to start dinner soon", Mark closed the door behind him, and followed Trent.

"This is a nice place you have here, Doctor Trent", Mark said as he sipped his tea. The doctor's apartment was small, and sparsely furnished, but it was very clean and neat. The biggest furniture in the room was a massive bookcase, overflowed with different sizes of books. Mark looked around the place with awe. With three guys living in the farmhouse, their home would never get this tidy, he thought.

Earlier, Trent had given Mark a small pill for his headache. Then Trent had made a very fragrant tea, which he served with chocolate and strawberries. Looking at the chocolate, Mark's eyes had grown bigger, and he had quickly popped a piece into his mouth. Afterward, his head had definitely felt a lot better. He sipped his tea again. He didn't know what kind of tea it was, but he decided that he really like its soothing perfume.

"Please, call me Trent. More chocolate?" Trent held out a box filled with dark chocolate. He was smiling at Mark.

"Ah...I...I..no...", Mark started to feel a little dizzy, "ugh...I don't feel good...". He felt as if his head was spinning, and his eyes were getting heavy. What's happening to me? He wondered, as darkness closing in, in and around him.

When Mark opened his eyes next, he realized with panic that he was tied to a heavy, large chair. "What the...?"

"You are awake. Good. Now we can start", Trent glanced at Mark with his dark eyes.

"Trent? What's the meaning of this?" Mark's stomach turned into knots.

Trent started pacing around the room. "He was right, you know. You and Vaughn were the ones who had been foiling my plan. Because you didn't want Elli to come back! The germs, the mold...they are too many of them!"

"What? What are you talking about? What germs? Who is Elli?" The hair on the back of Mark's neck stood. Trent seemed a little unhinged, he thought.

"My wife! She is gone because people, people like you, who brings the germs in. And the germs got her in the end," Trent was breathing hard as he ranted. But then suddenly, he calmed down. "But it doesn't matter. Finally, I have found a way to bring her back, and you are going to help me".

"Gone? As in...she left you?" Mark still couldn't follow the mad man's logic. Trent slapped him hard.

"Don't ever say that! She would never leave me. She is dead, you idiot! Dead! The germs ate her alive. They killed her!"

Mark's mind was racing. The black rose, he thought. Could it be...?

Trent saw the conclusion in Mark's face, and nodded. "Yes, finally you figured it out, didn't you? I created the black rose curse. I needed to harvest the negative energy...", Trent ran his fingers through his dark hair. A slow, chilling smile formed on his face. "You know, rage, pain, desperation. The usual".

"So it's you! You are the warlock, the one who had been provoking all those creatures, making them hurt innocent people". Mark's eyes flashed.

"Oh, save your breath. They are not innocent! They killed my Elli! I am going to use their negative energy to open a doorway to The Other, and bring her back!"

Mark eyes were opened wide with horror. "What do you mean bring her back? You can't do that!" He gasped. "Souls can only find peace when they enter The Other".

"Trent, listen! Listen to me" Mark pleaded. "I am sorry that you lost her. Really, I am. But you can't bring her back. She won't be the same Elli. If you bring her out of The Other, it will be the same as if you are torturing her. Her soul will never be at peace. Don't do this! If you love her, don't do this to her! Souls can only come back to this realm today, on Hallow's Eve, for one day. Other than that they would be in danger".

"Shut up! You are lying!" The warlock screamed. "You don't know how it feels to lose somebody you love! You don't how it feels to be useless, watching the one you love suffer and die!"

Trent raked his fingers through his hair once more. Calm down, take a deep breath, he told himself. This was an important moment. He needed all of his concentration. He looked through the door into the other room, and nodded.

"It's time Mark. I just need a little more negative energy. Since you and Vaughn kept breaking my spell, I have decided that you will give me the rest of the energy that I need. It's fair, don't you think? And oh, you will like this..."

Trent smiled at Mark, "I have been working on the spell to make it even more powerful. Anyone who touches the spell will be infected by it himself. Pretty smart, huh? So if Vaughn is trying to free you, he is going to be in for a big surprise!" Trent chuckled. "Although, by the time he found you, it might be too late. I have increased the strength of this curse multiple times. I don't know whether you will be able to survive it, Mark. If you don't, please let Elli know that I am coming for her soon".

"You...you will never get away with this!" Mark barked.

Trent merely smirked, as he muttered something to himself, and raised his open palm towards Mark. A black rose surfaced from his hand, snaking its way towards Mark's throat. "Mark", the warlock said, "Scream for me".

And Mark did scream, as the rose planted itself on his throat, its thorny stem wrapping, serpent-like, around his neck, shoulder, chest, arms and so on. Mark felt his body burning. The pain was unbearable. Almost. He started to convulse.

Then there was a loud, breaking noise, as a man clad in black, kicked open the apartment door. He was followed by a panther and a jungle man.

Trent swore.

"That's him! That's the warlock. I recognized his voice!" Han cried out.

"Then get him!" Vaughn yelled, as he rushed towards Mark. Han lunged at Trent only to be blasted by an invisible force. He crashed into the ground. Shea circled the warlock warily, his knife drawn, looking for an opening.

Meanwhile, Vaughn reached his hand out towards the black rose in Mark's throat.

"No! Don't touch it!" Mark shook his head, writhing in pain. "Don't touch it, or you'll get it too!"

But Vaughn ignored him, and closed his palm around the rose. He gasped. The rose suddenly unattached itself from Mark's throat and started to snake up Vaughn's hand, then to his arm. Everywhere the rose touched, his skin felt as if it was on fire, painful as hell. The black rose climbed all the way to his shoulder and proceeded to wrap around his chest. Vaughn fell onto the ground, screaming in agony. He tried to pull the rose off him using both of his hands, but it wouldn't even budge. Both Mark and Vaughn were now covered with the black thorny stem of the rose.

"Vaughn, you idiot!" Mark hissed with pain. Why didn't he ever listen to me, Mark thought.

Vaughn's scream distracted Shea for a split second, and it was enough time for Trent to blast him with a powerful energy blast, sending Shea slamming into the wall.

"The more, the merrier", Trent said, as another black rose appeared in his palm, curling, and flowing, towards unconscious Shea and Han. Then a blast hit him hard, vaporizing his spell, and sending him flying sideways.

"I don't take kindly to warlock who cursed my favorite teddy bear", The Witch Princess said with a cold voice.

Trent gasped. As he staggered onto his feet, a second blast hit him. He cursed. He needed to get out of here, he thought. Then, Mark gave him the opportunity.

"Princess! Princess!...pl..please save Vaughn", Mark pleaded. "The curse...is...is...strong. He could die!"

Trent blasted the apartment window to make his escape. The Princess Witch wavered for a second. She would like to catch the warlock, and make him suffer for what he had done. But at the same time, she could see that if she had done that, Mark and Vaughn would have died from the prolonged contact with the black rose curse. It would be too late for her to save them, and she did owe them for saving Brownie, her teddy bear.

Finally she decided. Two round spheres of light rose from her palm, and rocketed towards Mark and Vaughn. Both of them shuddered in relief as the curse was melted away.

"Now we are even", the Witch Princess spoke to Mark, and she disappeared in the next heartbeat.

Shea groaned as pushed himself up. Then he reached for his hunting knife to cut the rope that bound Mark. Mark tried to stand but fell onto the ground instead, beside Vaughn who was still gasping on the floor. Mark felt weak, as if all his strength had been drained out of him.

"Why didn't you listen to me? I told you not to touch it!" Mark rasped at Vaughn, slapping Vaughn's arm weakly, breathing hard. They were lying on the floor, side by side.

"Because I can't stand seeing you getting hurt! I had to do something to protect you!" Vaughn snapped back.

"Idiot! And because of that you got hurt! You almost died!" Mark hissed.

"I don't give a damn!" Vaughn hissed back.

"Well I do...ugh..." Mark's voice faltering, as he started to slip out of consciousness.

End of Chapter 11


	12. Chapter 12: You Remind Me of Lilies

Author's note: thanks to treestar55 who pointed out a mistake on Chap 11 (it has been fixed). I hope Trent as mad warlock didn't strike readers as OOC. I have always thought that every character has a potential to be hero/villain. Trent's combo of grief, and obsession with cleanliness, drove him mad, and that was the reason why he did what he did. I hope that previous chapters (chap 3&7) gave the readers a glimpse/hint of that little dark side of Trent, so Chap 11 didn't become too much of a surprise. Thanks for the review. Enjoy. Oh, and a reminder: the whole story is M-rated.

Chapter 12: You Remind Me of Lilies

Mark opened his eyes, and with relief he found that he was lying on his own bed, in his own room. Someone had removed his shoes, jacket, baseball cap and work gloves. He was lying in his jeans and t-shirt under the blanket.

The last thing he remembered was Trent cursing him and Vaughn with the black rose spell, and the Witch Princess had saved them.

"You are awake". Mark turned his head, and saw Vaughn sitting on a chair across his bed, beside the bedroom door.

"Yeah...You're okay?" Mark asked Vaughn.

Vaughn nodded, "I am fine ".

Then Mark's eyes caught a bouquet of white lilies in a tall glass vase, placed on the night table.

"What the...?" Mark gave the lilies a double take.

"Oh..."Vaughn's face turned red. "Uh...they remind me of you. So I thought you may like them..."

Mark closed his eyes, and sighed out loud.

"I know...I know...you are not a girl", Vaughn said with a tired voice. "I'll get rid off it". He rose from his seat, approaching the night table, and reaching for the vase.

"No...wait..." Mark opened his eyes. "I...I didn't mean that. Leave it..." He hesitated. He stared at the ceiling while he felt his face burning. Finally he said, with a small voice, "...I like it".

Vaughn was speechless for a couple of seconds. Then he sat down on the bed, beside Mark, with his back towards the blond man.

"There is something I have to tell you", Vaughn said ruefully, looking at the floor. His voice was low, almost inaudible.

"Go ahead", Mark whispered. Go ahead and tell me about Chelsea, he thought.

"I am sorry that I haven't told you this. I have wanted to tell you for a very long time, but I wasn't sure how you would take it". Vaughn took a deep breath.

"Mark, my clan didn't take you in because they took pity on you, but because your aunt had sold you..." Vaughn figured that he might as well be blunt, when he was telling Mark this, because no amount of sugar coating would be able to make it easier to swallow.

The corner of Mark's mouth curved into a small smile. "Is that so? I have suspected it for a while".

"You did?" Vaughn asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, of course. The Silver Wolfe clan is not a charity, or an orphanage. And my aunt is not a rich woman. So yeah, I have suspected it. I am not stupid".

"Ah...so you are not mad?" Vaughn turned around to search Mark's face. There was no anger or resentment there.

"Why should I be?" Mark glanced at Vaughn. "My aunt couldn't afford to keep me, she told me so herself. I guess in a way, I was lucky. There are worse things that can happen to a ten year old boy than being the soul keeper for the Silver Wolf. I mean, I have never gone hungry. I have never been abused. I have a roof over my head. I got my education. I met you. Overall, not a bad life", Mark concluded. Not a bad life, he thought with a heavy heart, except for being alone for the rest of my life part. Yup, other than that, it was peachy.

After a moment of silence passed, Mark said, "I have something to tell you as well".

"Yes?" Vaughn placed his hand on the bed beside Mark's pillow, as he leaned over, tilting his head, and looked at Mark directly in the eye.

Mark's ears and throats were slowly turning as crimson as his face. He could see that Vaughn had showered. Vaughn's hair was still a little damp, and Mark caught a subtle scent of soap and shampoo. Suddenly, it was getting uncomfortable for Mark, lying on the bed with Vaughn hovering over him, smelling so fresh. So he pushed himself up to a sitting position. He patted his pillow against the headboard, and leaned his back against it.

Mark wasn't sure why he was feeling uncomfortable. He had seen his best friend naked many times before for goddess' sake, while Vaughn was changing from human to wolf, and vice versa. It didn't bother him before. But now, for some reasons, he felt awkward sitting this close to Vaughn, who was fully clothed at the moment. What made this moment different, Mark wondered. It felt different, yet it wasn't supposed to be.

"Er...uh...I...I have been putting vegetables in your meals", Mark said lamely.

"I knew it!" Vaughn slammed his right fist on his left palm. "You little..." He gave Mark a fierce look.

Mark started to snort. His heavy heart was forgotten momentarily, as he found Vaughn's fierce look extremely hilarious. "Sorry..sorry..." Mark was laughing out loud, leaning over with his arms wrapped around his stomach. He brushed tears off his eyes, "...Well, actually, I am not sorry. I am going to keep putting in veggies until..."

Mark gasped as Vaughn kissed him on the lips. Then Vaughn pulled away instantly. His face was red.

"So...sorry. I don't know what..."

Now it was Vaughn's turn to gasp, as Mark gripped Vaughn's shirt, and pulled him closer to kiss him back. Vaughn wrapped his arms around Mark, and the two men tumbled onto the bed.

Goddess help me, Vaughn thought, as his hand somehow managed to find a way under Mark's t-shirt. He pulled the shirt above Mark's head, and tossed it to the floor. I am about to lose my head, he thought, as he pushed the blond, a little more roughly than he had intended, onto the bed.

What am I doing? Mark thought. I should stop. But he couldn't. Wouldn't. He closed his eyes, and let out a shuddered breath, as he felt Vaughn's hot, hungry mouth on his throat. Then he felt a hand tugged at his pants frantically. He could hear his heart thumping hard, deafening...

The next morning Mark woke up with a jolt. No, no, no, he thought as he turned his head towards Vaughn who was still sleeping beside him. His first thought was: I slept with my best friend, and he is a guy. He winced as he moved, for he was sore. Vaughn you bastard, he thought, while he could feel his face burning. Why do you have to be so damn big. Then finally he thought: Chelsea is going to kill me.

But then he looked closely at Vaughn who was still sleeping peacefully, and his heart fluttered. What is this feeling in my heart? He wondered. It was precious, gentle and luminous, like a single candle in the dark. Then the candle grew warmer, and brighter, causing his heart to ache, and swell up. He felt as if his heart was about to burst from the heat, and the blinding light.

I know that I am going to lose him one day, Mark thought. But I can't help it, I love him. He supported himself on his elbow, as he bent his head towards Vaughn to kiss him. That was when Vaughn opened his eyes. Mark gasped, and jerked back.

"Morning", Vaughn said sleepily. He caught Mark's arm as the latter trying to move away, and pulled Mark towards him. Then he rolled on top of the shorter man. "You have seen me naked many times, but last night was the first time I saw you naked. That's so unfair" Vaughn whispered, as he lowered his head towards Mark's face. Vaughn's voice was husky. His breathing quickened already.

"Wait...wait...what about Chelsea?"

Vaughn stopped, and looked at Mark with a puzzled look. "What about her?"

"You read her letter, right?" Mark frowned. "I mean aren't you dating her now, or something?" Mark asked weakly. His face was burning again. Vaughn's body pressing on him, caused Mark to be painfully aware of his, and Vaughn's morning arousal.

"No. I don't want her. I want you," Vaughn said. Then he cupped Mark's face with both of his hands, and let his lips roamed Mark's throat lazily. He loved the way Mark had shivered at his touch. He loved how Mark's skin had flushed prettily last night when...

"Gaah!" Suddenly Mark pushed Vaughn off him, and sat up. He winced as he sat up. Then he pointed at the edge of the bed.

"You two!" Mark yelled at two pairs of eyes, a pair of yellow eyes and a pair brown eyes. The eyes were peaking just above the blanket, at the edge of the bed. "How long have you been there? What did you see?"

Han's face slowly resurfaced from below. He licked his lips with his pink tongue. "We just got here", he said, cheekily. "Don't mind us. Just keep doing what you two were doing before. We were just curious, you know". Shea's beet red face resurfaced beside Han.

"No...no..no", Mark clutched the blanket closer to his chest, shaking his head, panicking. "This can't be happening. He is not even old enough to think about kissing...I am a bad, bad man..." He moaned.

Vaughn glared at Han and Shea. "Cat, take your friend, and get out of here. Now!" He hissed.

Han stuck out his tongue at Vaughn. "Come on Shea. The grumpy dog doesn't want us here", he huffed, and walked out of the room with his head held high.

Shea followed Han out of the bedroom, deep in his own thoughts. Then he reached out to touch Han's arm to stop the cat boy.

"Han..." Shea said, staring intently at his feet, "You want to try...?"

Han frowned for a moment. Then it dawned to him of what Shea had intended to say. He recalled how Mark had always told him that he was too young to even think about kissing. Hah, too bad, Han thought, because I am definitely thinking about kissing right now. So he tiptoed, and gave the jungle boy a quick peck on the lips.

"You like it?" Han grinned at the taller boy.

Shea's face turned scarlet. His hand covered his mouth where Han had just kissed him a second ago. Then without saying any word, he turned, and bolted out of the farmhouse as fast as he could.

End of Chapter 12


	13. Chapter 13: The Weakest Wolf?

Author's note: just a little explanation of the last chapter. What happened between Vaughn and Mark was supposed to be (and there is really no nice way to say this) an accidental "I slept with my friend" kind of thing. Mark was feeling really low ("Vaughn is dating Chelsea and I will die a lonely old man") while Vaughn was feeling really happy ("Mark wasn't angry at me, and he actually accepted my gift! Yay!"), and consider that they actually have lived under the same roof for almost 3 years...so for one reasons or another, they both decided to cross the line.

Although, now I am thinking that maybe that was what my inner fan girl wanted to write (bah...back to the basement you inner fan girl!). Thanks for pointing out that it seemed abrupt though, I will try better pacing in the next story. Here is the next chapter. Enjoy.

P.S. Revised this chapter to fix my grammar.

Chapter 13: The Weakest Wolf?

Vaughn was sitting at the kitchen table with his morning coffee, brooding. After he had kicked Han and Shea out of Mark's bedroom, he was hoping that he could finish what he had started with Mark. But Mark had jumped off the bed, frantically putting his clothes on, muttering something about shower and feeding animals. Then he had rushed out of the bedroom.

That damn cat, Vaughn thought, as he sipped his coffee moodily. He himself had to take a cold shower after that, which sadly, did nothing to calm his libido. Worse, it had made him feel more frustrated, and he had to take matter into his own hand. I should put a collar with bells on that cat, so I can hear him if he is trying to sneak around, Vaughn thought. And I am going to install locks on the bedroom doors. Then he heard someone ringing the door bell. He realized that Mark must be in the barn taking care of the animals. So he rose from his seat to open the front door.

"Vaughn! Thank goddess I found you..." Will was at the door, breathless. There was blood on his clothes. "You've got to help me. It's Elliot! A warlock got him!"

Vaughn nodded. "Let's go", he said, without hesitation.

Will took him to a clearing in the woods. As he raced towards the clearing, Vaughn could see Trent towering over Elliot, who was lying motionless on the ground.

"Stay away from him!" Vaughn yelled.

"Vaughn..." Trent smiled. "I didn't think you were that stupid". Then he nodded at someone behind Vaughn, and said, "So you are right, once again".

"What?..." Vaughn's hand went instantly to feel his neck, as he had felt a little sting. Then he felt as if his legs turned into jelly, and he dropped onto his knees.

"You! Don't tell me that you are working together with this warlock? Don't tell me you let him hurt Elliot?" Vaughn hissed, looking up at Will who stood over him.

Will glanced at Elliot, "Don't worry about him. He will be fine. He is still alive. Trent just needed a little more negative energy, so I let him use Elliot. Besides, we need him as bait. He wouldn't be as convincing if he wasn't hurt, would he?"

Vaughn was aghast. "But...why?"

"Why? Simple", Will flashed his brilliant smile. "Revenge, of course. What else could it be? Your grandfather killed my grandfather, and condemned the rest of my family into exile".

Vaughn's eyes narrowed, "That was because your grandfather betrayed the Elder Wolf, remember? Your family was trying to stage a coup to take over the clan, don't you remember? It was your family own doing that brought your downfall!"

Will smiled, showing his perfect teeth. But his smile didn't reach his eyes. "Have your father or grandfather ever told you what happened to my family during the exile? Well, first of all, growing up poor was...not very fun". Will's eyes were vacant for a moment, as if he was far away, in another time, another place.

A few seconds passed before Will gathered himself together. "There was never enough food, or enough anything. You grew up wanting things desperately, willing to do anything, and I mean _anything_, in exchange. And when my father's soul keeper died, the clan refused to give him another one. Every time he was closed to finding a soul keeper by himself, the clan took the soul keeper away. I knew that the clan watched him day and night, relishing his descent into madness. Eventually he turned into a wolf, and almost killed my mother..."

"That was my grandfather's doing. I wouldn't say that he was right for treating your family that way, because it wasn't. And my father had never agreed with the way the Elder Wolf punished your family. As soon as he took over the clan, my father did everything in his power to restore your family's name and wealth. He even treated you like his own son, for goddess' sake. Isn't that enough? Forget about revenge, Will. It will end badly", Vaughn spoke.

"Enough?" Will's usually calm and handsome face, twisted into an ugly rage. "Never! You think what your father did, years too late, will be enough to forget the fact that your family killed my grandfather, and caused my father to almost rip his own wife apart? Besides, your family, a bunch of weak, bleeding heart wolves, don't deserve to lead the clan in the first place!" He spat at the ground.

"Who are you calling weak?" Vaughn growled. Now he was furious.

"You heard me. It was your family's idea for treating the soul keepers as if they are our partners, our equal!"

Vaughn frowned. "But they are our partners. We owe our existence to them. You know very well what will happen to us without soul keepers".

Will felt his blood boiled. He kicked Vaughn in the stomach, causing the later to double down in pain. "We are the proud race of wolf men! We are beholden to no one! Soul keepers are there to serve us, not to become our equal. They are tools, not partners! And your father..." Will's eyes flashed. "He listened more to Haru, than to any other wolf. Many times, he went against other wolves' advice, because Haru told him so".

"That is because Haru has more sense than many wolves put together", Vaughn snapped. "I will listen to Haru too, if I am alpha".

The Golden Wolf sighed, and knelt beside Vaughn, peering at the weakened man. "See, this is the problem with you and your family, Vaughn. You have no pride in being a wolf man. You would allow yourself to be led around by humans through your nose. No, don't even argue. I bet you despise being a wolf, don't you? This is why I am going to take over the clan, and I am going destroy every single wolf in your family. Starting with you, of course. You are the weakest of them all".

Vaughn glared at him, wordlessly.

"But, rest assure, I am not going to kill you here and now. That would be too easy, wouldn't that be? So you see, Trent here is going to open a doorway to The Other to find his wife. And he had promised me, that he would take you with him, as long as I helped him", Will said calmly.

The Golden Wolf bent his head towards Vaughn, and said with a low voice, making sure that Trent didn't hear him. "The effect of sedative should wear off by then, so you should be able to fight whatever it is on The Other, which would try to kill you. I heard that the Goddess of The Other had this army of blood thirsty spirits, who would tear apart anyone who happens to be in their path. I want you to know, how it feels to fight with all your strength, and still lose everything in the end..." Will paused, smiling. "...Just like how my grandfather must have felt before he died", he continued.

"...Oh, and did you know that if you die in The Other, your soul will be destroyed completely? Yes, Silver Wolf, by the time you die, even your soul would cease to exist...But don't worry..." Will whispered. His eyes gleamed. "I'll take good care of Mark for you..."

"Don't you dare touch him! I will kill you if you hurt him!"

"The doorway is opened", Trent cut in.

Will straightened himself up, "Well, good luck Trent". He hugged the warlock warmly. "Please do not forget to take the trash out".

Trent nodded, and took hold of Vaughn's left leg, dragging him towards the open portal.

"Let him go!" Will and Trent whipped their heads towards the voice. Mark stood a few feet away from them, with a black panther by his side.

"I should have known that it was you, Golden Wolf!" Mark barked. "I was trying to figure out all morning how you knew that Brownie was the Witch Princess' teddy bear, and how Trent somehow managed to have the same brand of chocolate that you gave me. I thought maybe, you had seen Brownie when he left the Princess' house, before you ambushed him. And maybe, you gave the chocolate to Trent so he could drug me with it".

"Trent, quickly, get out of here. I'll hold him", Will gestured with his hand.

"No, you don't!" Mark charged forward. Wind rustled as it picked up small rocks and branches, and hurled them towards Trent.

Will morphed into a huge, straw-colored wolf with blue eyes. His fur had metallic golden shimmers to it. He lunged at Mark to stop him, causing Mark to crash into the ground on his stomach. Han lunged for the Wolf's throat with his teeth barred. But the Golden Wolf simply jumped sideways, and caught the cat's stomach with his teeth. Then the beast shook his head, sending Han flying sideways, as if he was just a kitten. The big cat crushed into a tree, and fell onto the ground, not moving. There was blood on the panther's middle section. It was unfortunate for Mark and Han, that wolf men were quite powerful when they were in their wolf forms.

Mark staggered to his feet, only to have the Wolf swiped at him, slashing his back with his sharp claws. Mark grunted and fell back down, again.

"No...no.." Mark whimpered, less because of the searing pain on his back, and more because he saw Trent dragged Vaughn through the portal. No, Mark thought with horror, as he watched the entryway closing, and disappeared.

"You have been really bad, Mark", Will purred. He was back in his human form, naked, straddling Mark, pinning him on his stomach onto the ground.

"You've almost ruined my plan. You have to be punished..." Will whispered, as he nipped at Mark's ear. Will felt himself hardening, aroused, at the anticipation of what he was about to do: defiling Vaughn's oh-so-precious soul keeper. He wished that Vaughn could have watched him doing it.

"Get off me, you asshole!" Mark grimaced, and struggled.

Then a lightning bolt hit Will right in the chest, causing him to be thrown backward. Mark looked up, and saw Elliot. Elliot's palm was opened towards him, and then Elliot shuddered, and fell, kneeling on the ground.

Mark looked back at Will, and saw that the other man was unconscious. Then he pushed himself up to his feet, and rushed towards Elliot, "Elliot! Are you okay?"

"I...I...can't let...him...hurt anyone...anymore", Elliot burst into tears. But then he shoved Mark aside, and ran towards Will. Elliot gathered the unconscious man gently in his arms. "I am so sorry, Will. I am so sorry. But I can't let you hurt them", he whispered, holding Will tight to his chest. Then Elliot pulled Will's arm around his neck, and circled his own arm around Will's waist to support him.

"I have to get you away from here", Elliot said, with panic in his voice. "If the clan catch you, they will surely kill you". He starting to lead Will towards the woods.

"Elliot, wait! He is not a nice man, you know that. He is not going to like what you did to him. He is probably going to hurt you when he wakes up" Mark said. "The best for you is to let the clan handle this. They will make sure that he will never hurt anybody again".

"No, Mark, please. Let us go. If the clan catch him, they are going to kill him for sure. Please..." Tears were streaming down Elliot's face. "I can't live without him...please...I beg you...please..." Then there was a determination in Elliot's eyes. "Mark, you owe me. I saved you. Besides my lightning bolt is more powerful than your wind. I will hurt you if you get in my way".

Mark was speechless. Elliot's devotion to Will broke his heart, and deep down he knew, that he would do exactly the same for Vaughn. He straightened his back. "I won't stop you, but let me warn you. Be careful around him. He is not a nice man", he said.

Elliot nodded. I know, he thought. But I love him.

I have a bad feeling about this, Mark thought, as he watched the red head dragged Will away. His heart sank.

"Elliot!" Mark yelled. "Find me if you need help. I'll help you! Promise me, that you'll find me if you need help!"

Elliot stiffened, but didn't respond. Then he continued dragging the unconscious man towards the woods.

Mark shook his head. Then he rushed towards Han. "Han, you are hurt", Mark said as he saw blood on the boy's body.

Han grunted as a response.

"Let me see", Mark said as he lifted the boy's robe to look at his stomach. Then before Mark's very eyes, the bite marks on Han's middle section started to knit together, heal and fade away. Mark gasped.

"Waaah!", Han's eyes widen with awe. "I didn't know that I could do that".

"Can you walk? Come on then", Mark said, pulling the cat boy up to his feet. "Follow me. We've got to save Vaughn. We don't have much time. We have to hurry!"

End of Chapter 13


	14. Chapter 14: I'll Go Wherever You Go

Chapter 14: I'll Go Wherever You Go

"Princess! Princess! I need your help!" Mark banged at the Witch Princess' door.

The door creaked ajar. Mochi and few other sprites were hovering on the other side.

"Oh...It's you", Mochi said. His face showed his obvious displeasure. He crossed his arms in front of his chest.

Mark waved his arm impatiently as if he was about to swat at the sprites. Then, when the sprites fleeted to one side to avoid his arm, Mark and Han charged in.

"Mark, you better have a good reason to charge in like this", the Witch Princess glared at him. She was reclining on a settee, surrounded by a bunch of harvest sprites. The sprites were fleeting around her, working diligently, applying polish on her nails, brushing her hair, and so on.

"Princess...please...I need your help...Vaughn...He was taken to The Other", Mark said, breathing hard. He bent down, his hands resting on his knees as he tried to catch his breath.

The Witch Princess frowned. Then she gestured with her head at the sprites, causing them to scatter away.

"And what do you think I can do? What makes you think I will help you?" The Witch Princess addressed Mark with a questioning look.

"Please, Princess..." Mark pleaded. He fell on his knees. "I'll do anything for you. Anything. Just please help me..."

The Witch Princess sighed as she eyed the young man kneeling in front of her. Mark looked as if he was about to cry. "Tell me what happened", finally, she resigned.

Mark recounted what happened with Trent, Will and Vaughn in the woods. After he was done, he asked, "Could you open a doorway to The Other? I need to find Vaughn, and get him out of there!"

The Witch Princess scoffed. "Forget it Mark! The Other is a dangerous place to be for the living. You will get yourself killed if you go there. The Goddess of the realm has this so called Guardians, a legion of panther spirits, just like yours", The Witch Princess nodded at Han.

"They are the enforcer of the law in The Other, and they will destroy anything, anyone, who doesn't belong there. Such as living beings, like you, like Vaughn..." She paused for a moment. "...There is nothing you can do. Let it be. Vaughn is probably already dead," finally, she continued. Her words were harsh and blunt she knew, but she was surprised at how gentle she had sounded.

"No...", Mark said stubbornly, and held his palm out, the one which bore his soul keeper's mark. "When Vaughn dies, this mark will disappear. He is still alive. I need to go to The Other, and save him".

"You can't save him. No one can. I can open a doorway to The Other, but I won't be able to bring you back. You will be at the mercy of the Goddess. Only she, can let you leave".

"Then I will go to The Other, find Vaughn, and plead with the Goddess. I have to try, Princess. If there is a slightest chance, that I can save him...even if there isn't, I still have to try..."

"Listen to me! Don't be daft. You are going to get yourself killed!" There was exasperation in the Witch Princess' voice. She rose from her seat, and placed her hands on her hip.

"But I...I can't live...I won't...Doesn't matter. I have to save him, please..." Mark pleaded once more. His eyes watered.

The Witch Princess glowered at the young man before her. Humans, she finally sighed, and shook her head. Humans and their stupid love. The Harvest Goddess and the Witch Princess had many debates before, as whether love, was humankind's most powerful asset, or their greatest downfall. The Goddess of course, was a firm believer that humans' ability to love, made them the finest ever, pointing out that over the course of history, heroes were born, or rose, out of love.

The Witch Princess however, had always thought that all love had ever done was to make humans doing useless, idiotic things, like sacrificing themselves for those whom they love. What's the point of loving someone, if you are not going to be alive to enjoy it? But then looking at Mark kneeling, begging, crying, she wavered. He is so young, she thought. She could not understand why, the youth of the human race had always ready to rush into danger for the sake of love. Foolish, she thought, and yet...she started to think that it was somewhat noble. Somewhat. She shrugged. Why does she care anyway? If this boy wanted to kill himself, then so be it.

"Fine. Let's go to the woods. Show me where the warlock had opened the portal", the Witch Princess said, already starting towards the door.

Mark jumped to his feet, and nodded. He led the Princess to the woods, and pointed at the exact location where Trent had opened the doorway earlier. The Witch Princess bent her head, and peered at the spot, reading the traces of the magic signature that was left there. She straightened herself up, and muttered a spell, opening an entryway to The Other.

"Han...", Mark said, not looking at the cat boy. "Go home. Wait for us at home".

"No", Han said. "You and Vaughn are my masters. I'll go wherever you go".

Mark glared at Han, "Then I release you. Go".

"No!" Han repeated himself stubbornly. "I refuse. I will go with you, wherever you go".

"Han, listen to me! You'll get hurt if you follow me!"

"No..."

"You may as well take him", the Witch Princess interjected, impatiently. "He may be able to help you in there. You will need all the help you can get".

"I can track Vaughn, you know I can. And I can protect you two..." Han joined in heatedly.

"I...but...oh...", Mark sighed, and shook his head. He did not want to waste anymore precious seconds arguing. "Thank you Princess", he nodded at the Witch Princess. Then he stepped through the opening, with Han at his tail. Hang on, Vaughn, Mark thought. I am coming, hang on.

"Mark, ask to speak with the Goddess when you are there. Maybe she will show you mercy", the Witch Princess yelled, but she wasn't sure if Mark had heard her.

End of Chapter 14


	15. Chapter 15: A Game of Chess

Chapter 15: A Game of Chess

Vaughn sunk his teeth on the neck of the last panther. He didn't let go until he heard the bones breaking, and felt the panther stopped struggling. Only then, he let go and sat, panting, licking his wounds. His eyes swept across the bodies of the dead black panthers around him. He knew that they were going to stir back into life at any moment now, as they had done earlier, and he wasn't sure if he could survive their next attack. He cast his eyes towards Trent, who was lying motionless a few feet away. The warlock was covered with blood, and Vaughn was sure that he was dead.

Vaughn changed back into his human form. His strength was fading, and he could no longer hold his wolf form. He tried not to think about Mark, about how he wouldn't be able to see his soul keeper again. Please Mark, run away, he thought. Don't let Will catch you. As he tried not to think of what Will was going to do with Mark, frustration and rage built inside him. He was useless, he thought. He couldn't protect the person he cared the most. Then with a sinking feeling, his ears caught low growling noises, as the panther guardians of The Other stirred back to life...

"Vaughn! Thank goddess you are alive!"

Vaughn whipped his head, and with horror he realized, that Mark and Han had just stepped through an opening.

"No..no...what are you doing here?" Vaughn moaned. His eyes were opened wide.

"Saving you, what else?" Mark responded.

"No..no...you should have stayed away, Mark. You are going to die here!" I can't protect you in here, Vaughn thought with a growing panic.

"I don't give a damn", Mark scoffed. He saw the panthers coming, and he could hear Han growled beside him. "Give me your hand", he said, clasping Vaughn's left hand with his right tightly.

Come on now, Mark thought. Concentrate, and summon the biggest damn tornado you ever summon in your life. He opened his palm towards the dark legion. Tornado built, and swirled around him towards the panthers, uprooting everything in its path. The cats shrieked, as the tornado swept them up, and threw them all around. It rained big, black cats.

"No use..." Vaughn panted. "...They will come back. I have killed them a couple times before this, and they came back every time".

Mark released Vaughn's hand, and took off his jacket and shirt. Gently, he wrapped his shirt around Vaughn's waist to cover his nakedness, and draped his jacket over the taller man's shoulders.

"Then I demand an audience with the Goddess of The Other", Mark said loudly, to no one in particular, as he straightened himself up.

"What do you want humans?" A beautiful woman appeared in a mist. Her pale skin was luminous, and her long braided green hair was flowing around her, as if it had a life on its own.

"Goddess, I am here to plead for the life, and safe passage for..." Mark started.

"God...goddess? Harvest Goddess? Is that you?" Han suddenly was standing in front of Mark, cutting him off, and staring at the Goddess in disbelief.

The Goddess frowned. "Midnight...?"

"Ah...I go by the name of Han now. My new masters gave me a new name", Han responded.

The Goddess floated towards Han. "It is you. Let me take a look at you", she said. Her fingers held Han's chin as she eyed him, up and down, carefully. "You seem well", finally she released him, satisfied.

"I am. I was afraid when you left me behind. Some bad people caught me, and made me do bad things. But then my masters saved me, and they took care of me ever since".

"I am glad", the Goddess smiled sadly. "I am sorry that I have left you behind, Han. But when I have to take over The Other from my brother, I didn't have the heart to bring you here. You were my favorite spirit. I didn't want you to grow up into this", she gestured with her hand at her panther army.

She turned her eyes towards Mark and Vaughn. "So these are your new masters? They treat you well?", she asked Han.

"Yes, Mark and Vaughn treated me very well, although..." Han leaned towards the Goddess, and whispered in conspiratorial tone, "I like Mark better. Because he likes to give me lots of ear scratches..."

The Goddess smiled, but then her smile disappeared quickly. "Unfortunately, they had broken the rule..."

"Goddess, I would like to ask you to reconsider", a voice coming from nowhere.

"Kevin!" Mark said.

Kevin nodded at Mark and Vaughn. Then he turned his attention back to the Goddess. "They saved me. They asked my wife to forgive me, so I could move on. Other ghost hunters might not be as merciful. Some of them would just destroy me, instead of taking the time to save me. Please, I beg for your mercy. Let them go".

"Mark had helped me as well. I also beg you to consider", a girl with spiky, red hair chimed in. Then she eyed Vaughn, and whispered at Mark, "Why is your friend wearing a man's shirt around his waist?"

"Long story. Maybe I'll tell you one day, Hanna", Mark whispered back at the girl. If I get out of here alive, that is, Mark thought.

The Goddess was still deep in thought.

"Goddess, take me, and do whatever you want with me..." Mark started.

"No..."Vaughn said, loudly. But Mark raised his hand, and covered Vaughn's mouth to stop him.

"Take me. I came here on my own free will. Vaughn was brought here by force, and Han just followed me here out of loyalty. Let them go. They are innocent. Punish me instead. I asked the Witch Princess to open an entryway so I can come here..."

"No...you can't say that...I won't let you..." Vaughn roughly shoved Mark's hand away. He turned to the Goddess, "Goddess, it's my fault. Mark wouldn't be here if it wasn't for me".

"Did you say the Witch Princess?"

The Goddess sighed, and shook her head. "Let's go see her", she added. She flicked her fingers to open a doorway, and stepped through it, gesturing at the others to follow her.

Mark, Vaughn and Han stepped through the portal, and found themselves in the middle of the Witch Princess' living room.

"What is the meaning of this, sister?" The Goddess crossed her arms in front of her, and addressed the Witch.

The Witch Princess rose from her seat in front of the fireplace, and turned slowly to face the Goddess. "Ah, there you are. Long time no see". The edge of the Witch Princess' mouth curved into a smirk.

"You know the rules. Why did you help a human breaking them? Did you realize what you have done?" The Goddess was furious.

"So I did. So what? What are you going to do to me?" The Witch Princess glared back in defiant. "Besides, I thought you will be happy that I helped them".

"What?"

"Oh come on, sister. Are you blind? Can't you see the reason why Mark wanted to go to The Other? He love that guy. He will die to save him. I thought you are a sucker for that kind of love story. You call people like that heroes, if I recall", the Witch pouted.

The Harvest Goddess was speechless. Hearing that the Witch Princess had learned a thing or two about human's love was priceless. But still The Rule...her mind churned.

The Witch Princess moved towards a table where a chess game was on display.

"Besides," the Witch Princess said, gesturing at the chess set. "We have never finished our game..."

The Goddess ignored the Witch Princess, and turned to Mark, "For all you and Vaughn had done, you and your friends may go free. This time. But..."

The Harvest Goddess lifted her finger. "You have broken the rules, Mark, and I cannot let it slide. I can accept that Vaughn was brought forcefully into The Other, and that your familiar followed you because he belonged to you. But you, had voluntarily come to The Other..." She paused for a moment. Then she continued, "...As your punishment, you will be indebted to me. One day, I will ask you to do one thing for me, and you will do anything I asked of you".

"Oh come on! Don't be so uptight! Rules are made to be broken, you know. You really suck, do you know that?" the Witch Princess protested.

The Harvest Goddess glared at the Witch, but she didn't say anything. Then there was a small, sad smile on the Goddess' beautiful face, as she turned her attention back to Mark. "I am sorry, Mark. I wish I don't have to do this. I am already bending the rule for you. However, I cannot break it altogether".

Mark nodded, "I understand".

Then the Goddess touched a spot, right under Mark's left collarbone, and a mark, which resembled a black lotus flower, blossomed from her finger. "When I call you, you will come. This mark will guarantee your safe passage in and out of The Other. If you do not come, or if you refuse to do what I ask, I will have to destroy you myself".

"Uh okay...", Mark croaked. His throat suddenly felt dry.

The Harvest Goddess then approached the table with the chess game on it, and studied it for a moment. She moved her rook, and took out the Witch's knight. The Witch Princess smirked as she moved her queen.

"Checkmate", the Witch Princess said.

The Goddess studied the game, and nodded. Yes, her sister had definitely won the game. But she had the feeling, that she would win the battle at the end. And that was enough for her. She smiled at the Witch Princess

"They are cute together, aren't they?" the Goddess whispered at the Witch, chuckling.

"I know, they are, right? Which one is the bottom, do you think?" The Witch Princess started to giggle.

Mark looked at the two magical women suspiciously. One moment, these two were looking daggers at each other, and now they were whispering, and giggling, like two giddy schoolgirls.

"Anyway, sister", finally the Harvest Goddess regained her composure. "Until next time", she smiled once again as she summoned the portal, and stepped through it.

"No..."Vaughn moaned. "This is unfair...this is so unfair...why you...why only you..." His finger traced the Goddess mark on Mark's collarbone. Then he felt dizzy as he had lost a lot of blood, and he fell onto the ground, sliding into darkness.

Mark too had felt dizzy, for he had lost a lot of blood as well, from the wounds on his back. He had tried to support Vaughn as the taller man lurched forward, but his legs gave up under him. Together they faltered, limbs tangled...

When Vaughn opened his eyes, he found himself lying on Mark's bed. His wounds had been cleansed and dressed. He turned his head to see Mark sleeping beside him, on his stomach, facing Vaughn. The wounds on Mark's back had also been cleansed and dressed. Then he peered under the blanket to confirm that yup, they were both naked.

"You are up already," the Witch Princess spoke. She poked her head through the opening of the door.

"Ah...Princess. I guess you took us home, and treated our wounds. Thanks," Vaughn said.

"Yup. I had to burn Mark's clothes because it was full of blood", she winked at Vaughn. "And I left you two a gift", she said, gesturing her head towards a small bottle filled with clear liquid on the night table. "You can thank me later for that".

Vaughn's face was turning red. Oh, this will never get old, the Witch Princess thought, smirking. "I will leave you two alone now". Then she waved and left the room.

After the Witch Princess left the room, and closed the door behind her, Vaughn turned his body towards Mark, wincing, as his whole body was screaming in pain. His eyes lingered on the face of the sleeping man, taking in details. Calm down, he thought. Calm. Down. Damn you Princess. Then he recalled the event of the day, of how Mark had came for him to The Other, and sighed.

Oh Mark, why bad things happened to you because of me? Vaughn thought. Why did you have to follow me to The Other? He sighed again. It was all my fault. Without warning, his heart was filling up with love and sadness. His chest tightened because his heart was so full, that he thought he would die. It was all my fault. Then he remembered what the Witch Princess had said.

Is that true that you love me? Vaughn wondered silently. You wouldn't follow me to The Other if you don't love me, right?

Vaughn cupped his hand gently on the side of Mark's face. Open your eyes, he pleaded silently. He thought that if he could look into Mark's eyes right now, he might be able to figure out what was going on inside the blond's head. But Mark didn't even stir. Finally, Vaughn closed his eyes, listening to the rhythm of Mark's breathing. He found it soothing, like gentle ocean waves. He lay on the bed like this for some time, listening carefully, shutting out the rest of the world, before sleep finally came, and claimed him.

End of Chapter 15


	16. Chap 16: My Healing Broken Heart Part 1

Chapter 16: My Healing Broken Heart Part 1

Han was trying to figure out how to make a french toast the next morning, as he struggled to prepare breakfast for Vaughn and Mark. Finally, he decided to butter the bread, on both side, and flopped it onto the frying pan. Then he drenched the frying bread with pancake syrup. He was debating on whether or not he ought to crack an egg or two on the bread, when his ears picked up a subtle noise. Someone was walking through the house quietly, towards the kitchen.

"Hi", Shea greeted Han.

"Oh, it's you", Han said, trying to sound as cool as possible. He could still remember how the other day, Shea had run out of the house after they kissed. He turned away from the stove to face the jungle boy.

Shea thrust a bunch of wild flowers in Han's face. "Flowers for you. Pretty..." He stared at his feet while his face was turning crimson. "...Li...Like you", he mumbled.

"Oh..." Han said. "Oh...um, thanks..."

Han wasn't sure what to do at first, but then he recalled how Vaughn had brought home a bunch of white flowers the other day, and he had put them in a vase with water in it. So then Han took the flowers that Shea had offered him, opened the fridge to take the ceramic milk jug out, and placed the flowers in it. He placed the jug carefully on the table. Then he plopped the soggy, syrup drenched bread onto a plate, and cracked a raw egg on top of it. He put the milk jug with the flowers, and the soggy-syrup-drenched-topped-with-raw-egg bread onto a tray. For a second he wondered, as to why his french toast didn't look like Mark's. But then he shrugged. He was sure that it would taste just as good.

"Come on", Han said, gesturing with his head at Shea. "I have made them breakfast. They are going to be so impressed", he told Shea. His yellow eyes twinkled...

"I am up...I am up. Give me a minute..." Mark groaned groggily. He heard knocking at the door, and pushed himself up. He swung his legs off the bed, yawning and stretching. Huh, he thought sleepily. Since when do I sleep naked?

"Morning". Mark jumped, and turned around to see Vaughn waking up.

Mark snatched a pillow to cover his nakedness. "Did...did we do it again last night?" He asked, dreading the answer.

Vaughn scowled at him. "No. You were sleeping", he said. But then his face brightened. "Want to? We can do it now, if you want," he asked hopefully, stealing glances at the bottle of clear liquid that the Witch Princess gave them.

"I...uh...er..." Mark frantically rummaged in his dresser to find a pair of clean shorts, still using the pillow as cover. He found what he was looking for, and put it on quickly, while his face burned. "I...I have to answer the door", he said lamely.

Mark opened the bedroom door, and found Han on the other side.

"I made you breakfast!" Han said cheerfully, holding out the tray he was carrying.

Mark looked at the tray. "What the...?" He said as he eyed the runny, raw egg on bread, and the flowers poking out of the milk jug. He smirked, trying hard not to laugh.

"pfft...er...Thanks Han", he said, smiling at the boy, who beamed back at him.

"Enjoy! And have a lot of rest. I will do all the chores today. No worries!" Han said, as he turned and waved.

Mark closed the door with his foot. Then he placed the tray carefully on top of the dresser. "Han made us breakfast", he said to Vaughn, pointing at the tray, with a goofy smile on his face. Then he burst out laughing.

"Come back to bed...", Vaughn said in response. He was sitting up now. "...You heard the cat. We are supposed to be resting...a lot..."

"I...I...your wife is going to kill me..." Mark had stopped laughing.

"Huh? What...?"

"I am going to..." Mark backed away slowly.

"Mark, come here..."

"I am going to my room", Mark bolted out of the room.

"But...this...is your room..."

Vaughn sighed, and lay back down on the bed, staring at the ceiling. Nope, he doesn't love me, Vaughn thought, and he probably regretted sleeping with me. The thought made him feel lonely. He covered his eyes with the back of his hand. His chest tightened. A small, sad chuckle escaped from his lips. Is it going to be always like this? He wondered. Mark running away, and he would be forever chasing Mark, but never quite catch him.

"Uh...this is my room..." Mark had stepped back into the room. His face was red.

Vaughn sighed again. "Come here, Mark. Don't worry. I won't do anything that you don't want to. I...I just want to talk". He pushed himself up to a sitting position.

Mark sat on the edge of the bed, not saying anything.

"So tell me about this wife of mine. Funny, I didn't even know I have one", Vaughn smirked. "Are you talking about Chelsea again? I told you that I..."

"Your dad told me. He said you are going to find a wife..." Mark covered his mouth with his hand. Without thinking, the words had rushed out of him.

" Ah...so this is what it's all about. And I told my dad..." Vaughn inched closer towards Mark. "...that I don't want anybody else as long as I have you".

Mark raised his face slowly. He looked furious. He didn't say anything for a second or two.

"You bastard!" finally, Mark yelled. "How many times do I have to tell you to stop saying things like that to me? Why..." His eyes suddenly started to water, his voice faltering. "...Why are you torturing me like this? Why do you keep saying all those stupid nonsense...if you are going to leave me...What are you? Heartless?"

Mark was heaving, as he rose and turned. He was about to run out of the room again, when he felt a hand caught his arm. The hand pulled him back down, and then a pair of arms embraced him from behind.

"I am sorry. I am so sorry...I didn't mean to hurt you", Vaughn whispered. "But I mean it. I will never leave you. I will never abandon you. You have to believe me, Mark. Please...don't...don't group me together with your parents and your aunt..."

"Lemme go..." Mark struggled. He clenched his fists. He wanted to punch something.

"No. Listen to me. You want to talk heartless? You are the cruel one, Mark", Vaughn said. His voice rising, but he held onto Mark, refusing to let go.

"You have never taken my feelings seriously, Mark. You have always pushed me away. But then you rushed to danger, not caring for your own safety, for me. You are always trying to protect me. You seemed as if you care about me. So what am I supposed to think? Really, tell me! You want to know why I kept saying those things to you? Because I love you! But you...you always...It hurts you know. It fucking hurts!"

Vaughn turned Mark roughly around to face him. "And, you know what? I don't give a damn what you believe anymore! Believe whatever you want, but I am going to stick by you 'till the end, and that's it! You are not going to get rid off me that easily. You are stuck with me whether you want it or not. We are bound together remember? You are my soul keeper! You can never get rid off me! You hear me?" He was breathing hard. He wanted to shake Mark, to get through that thick skull of his...

"Did you...did you say you love me...?" Mark said with a small voice, looking at Vaughn. Mark's face was wet from tears.

"Did I? Yeah I guess I did. So what?" Vaughn glared at Mark defiantly.

"You idiot..." Mark said, but he moved forward to give Vaughn a hug, and bury his face into the other man's shoulder.

"Sorry..." Mark whispered. "I have never wanted to hurt you..." He closed his eyes. He loves me, Mark thought. In his mind, the thought glittered, like jewels.

Vaughn was stunned. Then he slowly wrapped his arms around Mark, resting his chin on top of the blond's shoulder. They sat like this for awhile, clutching each other desperately...

Then for some reasons unknown to him, Mark reached out for Vaughn's face and kissed him.

"Hey, hey...stop kissing me like that. Or I won't be able to stop myself", Vaughn growled, shoving Mark away lightly.

Mark turned red. Silently and slowly, he moved to sit on Vaughn's lap, straddling Vaughn. He kissed Vaughn again, prying Vaughn's mouth open with his tongue, and buried his hands in the other man's soft, silvery hair.

"You have such a pretty skin, Mark..." Vaughn sighed, as he laid Mark down on the bed gently, and climbed on top of him. Vaughn traced Mark's cheek with his fingers, down to the chin, throat and collarbone. You have such a cute, little adam's apple, he thought. Then he stopped, as he stared at the Goddess' mark on Mark's left collarbone. Damn you Goddess, he thought. Jealousy warmed his stomach. The only mark on his body should be mine. He sucked Mark's collarbone roughly, as if he was trying to suck out the Goddess' mark. As he did that, a small, muffled moan escaped from Mark's lips...

Outside the farmhouse, Han plopped himself beside Shea. They were now sitting side by side on the porch floor.

"Aaah, I think that's about it. I guess the nice thing about winter is that not many things are growing. Man...that was a lot of work. I am beat," Han said.

"I think it's going to be a nice day today, don't you think Shea? The sky is so clear today," Han said. He looked at the winter sky, and marveled. It was early winter, and it was early afternoon. It was one of those unusual warm and sunny winter afternoons. Then Han realized that Shea hadn't responded so he turned his head.

That was when Shea planted a kiss on Han's lips. The kiss lingered for a couple of seconds, before Shea pulled away.

There, there are those feelings again, Shea thought. The sickening flip-flop feelings in his stomach. The pull on his heart string. Feelings that scared him so much, that he had once again, felt the urge to bolt. Shea jumped to his feet, and was about to run, when he felt a hand on his arm.

"Shea..." Han said with a small voice, looking up, his eyes fearful. "We don't have to kiss if you don't like it. Just...just don't run away again...it...it feels lonely here when you are not around..."

"No. No. I like. I...I..." Shea stuttered as he looked at Han's worried face. Something about that face, he thought. Those eyes. Those lips. Shea had found that lately, that face, could made him forget of what he was doing or thinking. He sighed. It suddenly dawned to him that even if he had bolted away again, he could never escape that face, which haunted his thoughts, day and night. What am I going to do, he thought, I can't run away forever. He sighed again, as he resigned to his fate. Then he offered his hand to Han.

"Come with me," Shea said. "I found a good place. Good place for fish. I want to show you". He held the cat boy's hand tight. Don't worry Han, Shea thought, I am not running away anymore.

End of Chapter 16


	17. Chap 17: My Healing Broken Heart Part 2

Author's note: I have decided to keep this as a separate chapter, instead of grouping it with the previous chapter. Because this chapter has a different atmosphere to it. It's short, but enjoy it anyway.

Chapter 17: My Healing Broken Heart Part 2

Will raked his hand through his hair, and sighed. Damn you Elliot, he thought. How dare you betrayed me. He wondered of what Mark was going to do. Is he going to go back to the clan? I have to stop him before he could do that, Will thought. Then he cast his eyes on the bed, where a slender red head lay. Elliot's wrists were tied to the bed post above his head. His eyes were closed, and his breathing ragged. Elliot was naked, and his skin glistened with sweat and other fluids.

Will quickly put on a fresh set of clothes. He had finished taking shower. He dropped the damp towel that he was wearing around his waist carelessly on the floor. Elliot would take care of that, he knew. Then he loomed over the bed, and eyed Elliot's pale face.

There was a tingling sensation at the back of Will's head, as he gazed at Elliot's face. A sensation that he didn't recognized. It was a new feeling for him. There were only two feelings he knew, and was familiar with. One was a cold rage, a feeling that he had lived with all his life. Another was lust, a feeling that he could easily recognize in other people's eyes, and one that he could manipulate skillfully.

But this new feeling, a feeling that he had now as he looked at Elliot was something he couldn't place. He shook his head, trying to get rid off that weird sensation. He sat on the side of the bed, and roughly caught Elliot's chin in his hand, and tilted the red head's face towards him.

"Now, soul keeper of mine," Will said. His voice was even. "Why did you betray me?" He said as he tried to summon that cold rage in his mind once again.

"I...I am sorry...but I can't let you keep hurting people..." Elliot whispered. He closed his eyes. It took all of his energy to string the words together.

Pathetic, Will sighed, as he released Elliot's face. He covered his face with his own hands. You are always so pathetic, he thought.

"Then why didn't you leave me? Why didn't you let the clan catch me?"

"Because they are going to kill you!" Elliot's eyes jolted open. "I can't let them kill you! I love you, Will!" He looked at Will with that sad expression on his face, and tears started to flow again.

Will was stunned. For a moment, he was speechless. He had not expected that answer. The new tingling sensation at the back of his head was back. Get a grip, he told himself silently.

"Please, do not be so pathetic, Elliot", finally Will said with a cool voice. "You are a soul keeper. Know your place". He glanced at Elliot sideways. "You mean nothing to me".

"You mean nothing to me," Will repeated to himself, louder this time, trying to rid off that strange, new feeling.

Will rose abruptly, and untied Elliot. He hesitated, but then he grabbed Elliot's face, and kissed the red head hard. After a moment, he shoved Elliot away.

"Go wash up and dress. You are a mess", Will said as he stepped towards the bedroom door. He shot a quick glance at Elliot once more, before he finally turned, and left the room. As soon as he stepped out of the room, the weird feeling was pushed towards the back of his mind. He had more critical matters to worry about, such as stopping that damn Mark before he could ruin his plan.

End of Chapter 17


	18. Chapter 18: Haru's Plan

Author's note: another short, but necessary chapter. Enjoy.

Chapter 18: Haru's Plan

There was a small section in the Silver Wolfe's vast garden, which was Haru's favorite spot. It was a quiet, peaceful spot, and as Haru had told the Great Wolf many times before, it offered the best view of the garden and the house. But what most important to Haru, which he had never mentioned to anyone, was that the spot was his favorite, because it was out of the hearing range of any of the house occupants, and yet, it offered a full view of the incoming and outgoings from the main house. There was a gazebo standing in that spot with a small stone table and two chairs in the middle of it.

That early winter evening found Haru sitting in this particular spot with another soul keeper, a quiet man named Chen. Chen was the soul keeper of the Great Wolf's most trusted and loyal wolf warrior.

"How are you, Chen?" Haru greeted the other man as he poured them both some tea.

"I am fine, thank you".

"Any news?" Haru sipped his tea. He liked this new jasmine tea he had just acquired. It had a rich aroma, with complex yet subtle, layers of flavors.

"Yes, our source had confirmed that the Golden Wolf had formed a small pack which called themselves the Golden Wolfe clan".

"I see. How strong are they?" Haru put his tea cup down.

"Half a dozen wolves, at most. But recently we think that they have been trying to recruit more aggressively".

Haru pondered for a moment. He rested his chin on his hand, elbow resting on the table. What are you planning, Will? He wondered. Then he turned his attention back at Chen.

"We need to cull this pack. We cannot allow this pack to get any larger. You need to talk to your wolf, and convince him to strike this pack down".

Chen was about to sip his tea. But hearing Haru, he stopped and hesitated. "I don't know Haru. Shouldn't we...shouldn't we ask the Great Wolf first?"

Haru shook his head. "He won't believe that Will is planning anything. You know how he feels towards Will and his family. However, you know, and I know, how dangerous the Golden Wolf is. You know how his grandfather was, and his view on soul keepers. We cannot let this man to gain further influence in the pack".

Chen was quiet, staring at his tea. He was wavering.

"How is Charlie?" Haru asked of Chen's only son. Chen and his wolf were one of those uncommon pairs, where both men were married to women, and fathered children.

Chen's face brightened. He put his tea cup back on the table. "Great. He is growing so fast. Like weeds".

Haru smiled. "I heard that he wanted to become a soul keeper, like his father".

"Yes, that's right. Apparently, he promised Arthur, my wolf's son, that he would become Arthur's soul keeper". Chen smiled, as he recalled how his little Charlie had adamantly told him that one day, he would grow up to become his best friend's soul keeper.

"Chen, please listen to me", Haru met Chen's eyes directly. "If you value our way of life, if you value your son's welfare, we cannot allow Will to get his way. If you do not want your son to be treated like a slave, then you cannot let the Golden Wolf to become alpha. You know he will do this, if we don't stop him. It is just a matter of time..." Haru touched Chen's arm lightly. He let his hand lingered on Chen's arm for a second longer.

Chen frowned, "Alpha? You think that Golden Wolf is planning to be alpha? But I thought that Vaughn is next in line?"

Haru sighed. "I am not sure about Vaughn. He does not seem to be interested in becoming alpha. This is why I am so afraid, Chen. If Vaughn refuse to return to the clan, or refuse to become alpha, I am afraid that there is a good chance, that the Great Wolf will ask Will to succeed him". I wish that I am wrong, Haru thought. I wish that Vaughn will be back to prove me wrong. But Haru wasn't going to let chance took its course. He wanted, needed, to make sure that Will would never have a chance to take over the clan.

"And I think this is the reason why, Will is forming that little pack of his. So then when the Great Wolf bring forth the idea of Will as his successor, Will would have the backing of some wolves. This is why we cannot let him to continue to gain influence in the pack. Do you understand?" Haru met Chen's eyes once again.

"The time to strike is now, while they are still weak. This is our only chance. We need to strike first and hard", Haru added, reaching for his tea.

Chen wavered, but then finally he nodded, defeated. "I will speak to my wolf, but I cannot promise you anything. I will try my best".

Haru smiled at Chen. "He will listen to you. Of that, I have no doubt. And Chen?...The Great Wolf must never, never find out about this".

"You do not think that the Great Wolf will find out by himself?" Chen frowned.

Haru glanced sideways at Chen. "There is a possibility of that. And when that happens, I will take full responsibility for this. You do not need to worry. Just think of your son's happiness. You need to protect it at all cost".

Chen rose. He bowed to Haru, and took his leave. Haru followed the other man with his eyes before he sipped his tea. But he soon found that his tea had grown cold. He sighed. He did not like winter with its lack of color and depressing chill. Let it be Spring soon, he prayed. And may Spring find all of us alive and well.

End of Chapter 18


	19. Chapter 19: Wolves Fight

Chapter 19: Wolves Fight

One night, two weeks after he and Mark returned from The Other, Vaughn awoke with a jolt. There were wolves howling outside the farmhouse, and he knew right away that they weren't the common wolves. Quickly he got up, and dressed himself. He heard Mark also waking up, and reaching for his clothes.

"Come out Mark! I know you are in there!" Will's voice rang from outside the house.

Mark and Vaughn exchanged a quick look.

"Stay here!" Vaughn said.

"No. What do you think I am? Some kind of defenseless girl?" Mark retorted, while pulling his pants up.

Vaughn shook his head, and headed out of the house, followed by Mark and Han.

Outside, the Golden Wolf stood with two other wolves and three soul keepers. The winter night sky was murky, cloudy, and was barely lit by an almost full moon. Only few stars could be seen.

"Vaughn!" Will gasped. "You returned from The Other. But how...?"

Vaughn didn't respond.

"Elliot? What...? What happened to you?" Mark asked. His heart sank as he eyes landed on the red head. Elliot's head was bandaged, and there were bandages on his arms as well. Elliot looked very pale and sickly. There were dark circles under his eyes.

"What did you do to him, you bastard!" Mark's eyes flashed.

"Your concern for my soul keeper is very touching, Mark. However, this time, it wasn't me," Will said. "Well, it wasn't all me. The injuries you could see were Haru's fault. He sent some wolves to kill my pack. Elliot got hurt trying to protect me".

"Was that your doing Mark? Did you ask Haru to come after my pack?" Will asked.

"I have no idea what you are talking about," Mark snapped back.

"No matter. You will pay for this Mark," Will flashed his brilliant smile. "You know, since Elliot is hurt because of you, maybe you should keep me company until Elliot recovered, what do you think?"

"Why, you..." Mark was about to rush at Will, wanting to punch him, when Vaughn restrained him.

"Lemme go. I am gonna wipe that smirk off his face," Mark struggled.

"Calm down! Calm. Down. He is just trying to get under your skin. This has nothing to do with you. This is between me and him," Vaughn said. Then he turned to Will.

"You touch him, and I'll kill you", Vaughn morphed into a wolf, not caring that he tore off his clothes in the process.

"You think you can?" Will shot Vaughn a sharp look. He changed into a wolf as well. "Well, Come on then! You and me! Let's finish this!"

The wolves circled each other, looking for an opening. Then they both leaped and grazed at the shoulders, landed, and skirted quickly around to face each other once more. They ran in circle before lunging at each other for the second time. This time, Golden Wolf sank his teeth into the other wolf's thick mane. He couldn't really get a good grip on Silver Wolf's throat but he felt his teeth broke skin, and drew blood. Will shook his head, and sent the other wolf staggered sideways.

Silver Wolf quickly regained his balance. There was a little blood on his mane, but nothing fatal. That first blood only served to piss him off, and he growled.

The two wolves lunged again, and this time, as Will lunged upward, Vaughn decided to fold his legs and sunk his teeth at Will's throat from under him, sending Golden Wolf crushing on his back.

Will swiped at him, and scratched, but Vaughn kept his jaw firmly on the neck. He increased the pressure on the neck, just a little less from the bone breaking point, dragging the other wolf, shaking his head. Then Vaughn let go. As the other squirmed trying to get up, Silver Wolf lunged at him, and bit the other wolf's snout, forcing the other down to the ground once more. Every time the Golden Wolf tried to struggle up, the Silver Wolf would bite his snout or his neck, and force him down.

"Stop fighting. You can't win," Silver Wolf growled, snapping at Golden Wolf's snout, until it was bloodied. He didn't want to kill Will. He just wanted the Golden Wolf's submission.

But then he heard low growling noises, and whipped his head back, in time to see two soul keepers held the struggling Mark. One of the wolves that Will brought with him had Han's neck in his jaw. The beast shook the big cat, throwing Han aside.

"No!" Silver Wolf was about to lunge at them, when one of the soul keepers held a knife to Mark's throat. That stopped Vaughn dead in his track.

"Don't come closer! You hurt the Golden Wolf, and I'll slice him open", the soul keeper holding the knife said, with a low voice. The other soul keeper tied Mark's wrists behind his back.

"Let him go", Vaughn said, morphing back into his human form. "This is between the Golden Wolf and I".

"This is your weakness, isn't it?" the Golden Wolf responded as he staggered to his feet. Then he changed back into his human form.

"Your soul keeper is your weakness", Will approached Vaughn slowly. "This is why you are the weakest wolf. Pathetic!" Will barked, as he suddenly pulled Vaughn towards him by the shoulder, and drove his knee hard into Vaughn's stomach.

"Oof..."Vaughn fell down, kneeling in front of Will.

Will spun and kicked Vaughn mercilessly at the side of his head. Vaughn crushed sideways into the ground.

"Stop! You fucking coward! Let me go, and I'll kick your furry ass!" Mark struggled, furiously.

Will glared at Mark, "That is not how you address a wolf man, soul keeper". Then he glanced at Vaughn who was gasping on the ground. "I guess this is his fault for not teaching you a proper manner. Well, maybe this will clean your potty mouth", he said as he started to kick Vaughn repeatedly in the stomach.

"No! Stop! Stop it! You are killing him!" Mark screamed. But he had stopped struggling.

Will smiled at Mark. "If you promise that you will be a good boy, I may consider sparing his life. Do you promise?"

If look could kill, Will would have keeled over dead by the look that Mark gave him.

"Fine", Will shrugged. "Have it your way". He gave Vaughn a few more kicks. "Huh", Will said, tilting his head as if he was listening to something. "I think, I might have broken Vaughn's ribs".

"Stop! I promise! I promise..." Mark's voice faltered to a whimper. "Just...don't hurt him anymore...". There were tears in his eyes. "I'll do anything you want. Just...let him go..."

"No...don't..." Vaughn gasped. He winced with every breath he took as his sides felt as if they were on fire.

"Is that so?" Will sounded pleased. "Now you sound much more reasonable. We can finally talk. Come here Mark..." Will smiled, but his eyes were cold. He nodded at the other two soul keepers. They let Mark go, and shoved him towards Will.

Mark walked towards Will slowly. His wrists were still tied behind his back.

"Kneel soul keeper," Will said, his eyes gleamed.

Mark fell kneeling on the ground silently. His stomach churned with fear, fear of what might happen to him, to Vaughn and to Han. He felt nauseous, and started to shake a little. He kept his eyes on Vaughn who was lying, gasping, on the ground, and wouldn't look at anything else.

Will circled the kneeling man slowly. "I think I am really going to enjoy breaking you, Mark..."

Mark felt as if his stomach turning inside out, with a growing panic. There were beads of cold sweat on his forehead. He heard Elliot whimpered. Then he gasped with pain, as Will grabbed his hair to jerk his face upwards.

"Let him go!" A black panther roared and lunged at Will. Will released Mark instantly, and brought his arm up by reflex. Han sank his teeth into Will's arm, and they both crushed into the ground.

Mark jumped to his feet, and rushed towards Vaughn. He struggled against his bondage, trying to loosen it to no avail, as he realized that the other two wolves and their soul keepers closing in. He turned to face them.

"Mark, run..." Vaughn rasped.

"I can't...I can't leave you!" Fuck, what am I going to do, Mark thought. What am I going to do?

Will morphed back into the Wolf form, and clamped his jaw on Han's stomach. The panther shrieked, and let go of Will's leg. Will threw him aside. The he jumped at the cat while Han was crushing into ground, and sank his teeth into Han's throat, breaking his neck.

"What do you think you are doing Mark? Where are you going?" The Golden Wolf growled, as he slowly moved closer towards Mark and Vaughn.

That was when they heard the howling, and silhouettes of three wolves and three men appeared from the darkness.

"It does look kind of one sided...Why don't we even out the odds?" The biggest wolf, a huge, gray wolf, with yellow eyes, growled. Vaughn recognized the Iron Wolf, his father's most trusted and loyal wolf, and Chen, the Iron Wolf's soul keeper.

Quickly, they surrounded Will and his wolves. Unfortunately for Will, these wolves were much older, much more experienced and seasoned fighters. Will and his pack fought bravely, but was quickly defeated. However, thanks to Elliot's powerful lightning bolts, Will and Elliot managed to escape, while the rest of the pack was subdued.

"What are you going to do with them?" Vaughn grimaced with pain as he tried to push himself up. Chen threw a long cloak around Vaughn, and untied Mark. As soon as he was untied, Mark rushed to Vaughn to steady the taller man.

"Do not concern yourself with them, young master. They wouldn't be able to hurt you any more. The Golden Wolfe pack is no more. You don't need to worry about Will anymore", the Iron Wolf glanced at Vaughn.

Vaughn stared at Iron Wolf. "Are you telling me that you are going to kill them? That you killed them? Did my father agree to this?"

Chen answered Vaughn, "Haru asked that you will not tell your father as yet. He will inform your father himself..." Then lowering his voice, he continued, "...And it was Haru who asked us to check on you. He thought that Will might try to kill you. Thanks to him, you and Mark are unharmed tonight".

"Ah...", Vaughn was stunned. What game is Haru playing, Vaughn thought. But he had no choice as Chen was right, he owed Haru, his and Mark's life tonight. "...I see. Then please give Haru my gratitude. I will come and visit him as soon as I can".

Chen bowed his head, "I will relay the message". Then he turned and climbed on top the Iron Wolf. He waved as the Iron Wolf galloped away with the rest of his wolves, and their prisoners.

Han stirred back to life, and morphed into his boy form. Together, he and Mark gingerly guided Vaughn into the house.

"Look at you", Mark said sadly, holding Vaughn's face in his hands. "You are all scratched up". He had cleansed and dressed the wound on Vaughn's neck, and now Vaughn was sitting on his own bed comfortably, wearing a pair of pajama pants. Mark sat beside him, applying healing salve on Vaughn's face and chest. "Somehow, we need to get you to the clinic in the mainland, to get your ribs checked".

Vaughn caught Mark's hand. "They are fine. Will didn't break them...Don't worry". Then he pulled Mark towards him, and embraced him tightly. "I was...I was afraid of what Will was going to do to you..." Vaughn's voice was breaking down. The thought in his head was just too horrible, too unbearable, to say out loud.

"Hey...it's alright...nothing happened to me...you are the one who is hurt," Mark said soothingly, caressing Vaughn's hair. Then he gently tried to pry Vaughn's arms off. "You need sleep. No...no...you need your sleep. Or you are not going to get any better...I will just be in the other room," he said. But Vaughn wouldn't let him go.

"Alright, alright," finally Mark said, knowing he wasn't going to win this one. "I'll stay...I'll stay". Only then, Vaughn finally let him go. Mark walked to the other side of the bed, and slid under the blanket.

End of Chapter 19


	20. Chapter 20: This Bond Between Us

Chapter 20: This Bond Between Us

Vaughn woke up in the morning with a heavy heart. He had spent most of the night tossing and turning, restless. I need to become a stronger wolf, Vaughn thought. The Golden Wolf was still out there, and Vaughn was sure that one day, Will would came back to settle the score.

I need to go back to the clan, Vaughn thought, staring at his porridge. He and Mark were now sitting down at breakfast in the kitchen. A small black cat was curling on the kitchen window, enjoying the rare, warm winter morning sun.

There were so many things he still needed to learn so he could become stronger, Vaughn thought, so he could protect Mark. And one day, he vowed, if and when he finally became alpha, he would make sure that every soul keeper came to the clan voluntarily, and they would be treated with the respect that they deserve...

"What are you thinking?" Mark asked, breaking the other man's train of thought. "Must be serious", Mark added, looking pointedly at the uneaten porridge. He sat back, and sipped his coffee, waiting for Vaughn to respond. His eyes met Vaughn's directly.

"Listen Mark. If I am going back to the clan's main house, would you come with me?"

Mark stared at Vaughn for a second, puzzled. He put his coffee mug down. "Of course", finally he said. "Yeah, of course".

Those clear, green eyes, Vaughn thought. Promise of meadows under summer skies. I promise, I'll treasure you always, he thought. On the table, his left hand reached out to Mark, palm up. Mark put his right hand in Vaughn's palm, their matching marks met, sparks flying.

"I love you", Vaughn whispered.

"Oh..." Mark said. "Uh..." He felt his face starting to burn.

Vaughn waited for Mark to continue, and when he didn't, Vaughn scowled. "Hey," he growled. "I think it is about time that you tell me how you really feel about me. This is the time when you are supposed to tell me that you love me too".

"Oh, come on", Mark said, pulling his hand away, trying to sound as casual as possible, hoping that Vaughn couldn't hear his heart thumping loudly. He waved his hand around.

"You know I do. I don't need to say it". Mark rose from his seat. He was about to collect the breakfast dishes, when Vaughn caught his arm.

"No. I want to hear you saying it..." Vaughn rose from his seat as well. His hand held onto Mark's arm. "I...I need to hear it..." finally he added with a quiet voice.

Mark took a deep breath. "I...I do love you", he said with a small voice, not looking at Vaughn. His face was turning red, really red.

"Look at me when you say it", Vaughn said gently.

Mark took another deep breath, and then he raised his face to look at Vaughn. "I love you", he said. "I will always be by your side, Silver Wolf. No matter what. You know I'll follow you wherever you go". Mark was still blushing, but his voice was steady.

"And I love you!" the small cat morphed into a boy, and lunged at Mark, squeezing him in a bear hug.

"Ugh..tight...can't breath..."

"Let go cat! He is mine!"

Han stuck out his tongue at Vaughn, but he felt happy and giddy. My beloved masters, he thought. My family. He bolted out of the kitchen, grinning from ear to ear.

The End of Volume 1

Author's note: I hope you enjoyed the volume 1 of this story as much as I did writing it. Volume 2 will start on Chapter 21.


	21. Chapter 21: Just a Dream

Author's note: Recap of main characters so far:

The Great Wolf (although it wasn't mentioned in the first volume. His name is Gareth) – Vaughn's father. Age: 45

Haru – Great Wolf's soul keeper. Age: 45

Vaughn – Silver Wolf, heir to Silver Wolfe's clan. Age: 19 (about to turn 20)

Mark – Vaughn's soul keeper. Age: 19 (about to turn 20)

Will – Golden Wolf. Age: 23

Elliot – Will's soul keeper. Age: 23

Han – Vaughn's and Mark's spirit familiar. Can take a form as a boy, a black house cat, or a black panther. Age: he looks/acts like a 15 year old boy. His real age is unknown.

Shea – jungle man, and Han's friend. Age: 16

Iron Wolf (will be called Alistair in later chapter) – Great Wolf's most trusted wolf warrior. Age: 32

Chen – Iron Wolf's soul keeper. Age: 32

Revised to fix my stoopid grammar.

Chapter 21: Just a Dream

_The smells always come first, horrifying odors. Smells of flesh burning, and of iron, which reminds me of blood. Right away I realize, without even having to see, that it is blood I am smelling. There isn't a lot of light, but for the flickering fire in the distance. This darkness feels weird. It feels different. It feels alive, restless...and hungry?_

_Next come the screams. Somewhere, someone, is screaming, and screaming. A woman this time. It was a man who was screaming the last time. _

_Finally, I feel small hands clinging to me. "Don't let go!" The little girl screams. I don't know how I know that it is a little girl, as I can't see her face. I wrap my arms around her small and fragile body. I hold her tight. _

_The darkness convulses. It grows arms, slithering towards me. The arms work their ways around my torso, my legs, my throat, trying to pry me apart from her. I tighten my hold on the girl, while my other hand grips one of the black moving arms, trying to stop it. _

"_I won't. I won't let go!" I promise her. In the darkness, the arms around me change into thorny sinews, squeezing me harder, hurting me with their thorns. "I won't let go!" I tell her again, as if that will give me the strength to hold on. _

_The thorny sinews change into hungry mouths full of sharp teeth, drawing blood, tearing me apart. Pain. Unbearable pain._

_And I let her go. Again... _

Mark awoke with a jolt. His forehead beaded with cold sweat. He felt someone shaking him.

"Mark, are you okay? You were screaming," Vaughn was looming over Mark. "Was it that dream again?"

Mark trembled, breathing hard. "Yeah, it was the same dream".

Vaughn took the shaking blond into his arms, and tried to soothe him by caressing his hair. "It's just a dream. Go back to sleep..."

"Yeah, just a dream...just a dream," Mark whispered. His heart was still pounding hard. He buried his face into Vaughn's chest for comfort.

This was the third time Mark had that same dream. The first time he had it, it was two weeks ago, a couple of nights after Vaughn had told him that he had wanted to return to his father's house. In all the three dreams, the end was always the same. He had failed the little girl, and it had bothered him. I didn't want to let you go, but the pain was unbearable, he told the girl in his dream silently. I am sorry. I am so sorry...

As if he could read his lover's thought, Vaughn gave Mark a little squeeze. "Just a dream..." He whispered. "Sleep..."

I love how these arms always make me feel safe, Mark let out a long sigh. His heart started to slow down. Vaughn's body had felt solid, warm, and comforting. Tomorrow, I think I am going to ask the Witch Princess, he thought as he drifted back to sleep...

The sun was already high up in the sky the next day, when Mark found himself standing in front of the Witch Princess' hut. He knocked at the door firmly, twice, and waited. A few minutes later, the door creaked ajar, and Mochi, along with a few other sprites were hovering on the other side.

"It's you again. What do you want this time?" Mochi frowned at Mark.

"I am here to see the Witch Princess. I brought you some eggs, and a curry dish for the Princess," Mark showed Mochi the content of the brown paper bag, which he held in his arm.

Eggs were Mochi's favorite things, and the harvest sprite's eyes had widened as he saw the eggs. But he recovered quickly, and put the scowl back on his face. "Wait here," he said. "I'll ask if the Princess wants to see you". He disappeared into the hut. The rest of harvest sprites took the paper bag from Mark, and flew into the hut, carrying the bag between them.

"Come in. She will see you. This time," Mochi grumbled when he returned to the door.

"Thanks, Mochi," Mark said with what he hoped was a polite smile. But instead of smiling back, Mochi simply huffed, and fleeted away. Mark entered the hut, and closed the door behind him. He found the Princess, Brownie and a couple of other sprites, playing cards in the living room.

"Mark," the Witch Princess greeted him. She didn't look up as she revealed her cards. "What brings you here? Thanks for the Finest Curry dish, by the way".

"You are welcome, Princess. Well, I would like to..."

"I win again!" Suddenly the Witch Princess yelled. "Ha..ha...this is fun!" She hollered as she gathered her prize, which was a pile of colored grasses.

"How did you manage to get a straight flush three times in a row?" One of the harvest sprites gave the Princess a suspicious look.

"What are you saying?" The Princess glared at the sprite. "Are you saying I cheated?"

"No..no! Of course not! Sorry! Sorry!" The harvest sprite said nervously, shaking his tiny head vigorously.

"Okay, then how about another round?" The Witch Princess looked around the table.

Brownie and the sprites groaned. "But we don't have any color grass left. You won them all!"

The Witch Princess threw her head back, and laughed heartily. "Yeah, I did, didn't I? I am the best!" She said, obviously pleased with herself. Then she remembered something. "Oh, yeah. Mark, you were saying...?" She turned her attention to Mark.

"Well, I would like to ask you something..."

"Fine. Ask away. I am in a good mood today. Have a seat," she gestured at an empty chair by the table. "We have a guest. You two go, and help your brothers with the tea," she added, looking pointedly at the harvest sprites sitting beside her. The sprites flew away, presumably to help with the tea. Mark sat down.

"So?" The Princess eyed Mark curiously with her intelligent, crimson eyes. She collected all the cards on the table, and shuffled them quickly. "How is everything at home?"

A group of harvest sprites approached the table with a tea tray balanced between them. They placed the tea tray on the table, and started to pour tea into fine china teacups. One of them pushed the teacup along with its saucer towards Mark.

"Fine. We have sold the farm". Mark sniffed his tea. It had an earthy, grassy fragrance, with a hint of lemon and mint. "We are going to start packing soon".

"How is Vaughn?"

"He is okay". Mark sipped his tea tentatively. The tea tasted better than he had expected. He guessed that it was some sort of herbal tea, earthy tasting, and minty. He sipped his tea again.

"How is your sex life?"

"Pfft..." Mark spurted his tea. His face was turning red. "Fi...fine. Fine," he stuttered.

"I bet! You two are still in your honeymoon period!" The Princess laughed out loud. "I don't know what I am going to do without you guys. It is going to be rather boring around here after you left, I am afraid".

"You can always come and visit us, you know," Mark said, as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

"Maybe, I'll do that one day," the Princess smiled at him.

"Anyway, Princess, there is something I want to ask you. It's about dreams. Do they mean anything? Is it normal to have the same dream over and over again?"

The Princess glanced at Mark. "I assume from your questions that you have been having the same dream over and over again. Why don't you start by telling me what the dream was about". She had put her cards aside, and now she started to move her hands quickly to sort her winnings, the grasses, by their colors.

Mark told her about the dream. He told her everything: the smells, the screams, the little girl and the darkness. And how he let her go every single time. Mark's face fell as he recounted his dreams.

"What does she look like? The little girl?" the Princess asked.

"I don't know. I didn't see her face".

"Okay, what does she _feel_ like? In your dream, why did you want to hold on to her?

"She feels...fragile. And precious somehow. I just feel that I have to...protect her. I...I don't know, Princess. I am not sure about anything, right now".

The Witch Princess thought for a moment. "Well, I won't worry about it for now. Maybe it is just the stress. You are moving out of your own home to someone else's house. That's a lot to take. I mean, premonition is often communicated through dreams, but we don't know for sure if this dream means anything or not".

"Premonition?"

"Yup".

"How do we know whether it is a premonition or just a regular dream?" Mark asked.

"Don't worry about it, Mark. Really. Just try to relax".

"But...what should I do if it turns out to be something else? If it's not just a regular dream, I mean," Mark still looked a little worried.

"Well, when, and if, it happens," the Witch Princess looked at Mark in the eye. Her face was serious. "Don't let go". Then she smiled as she rose from her seat. "Okay? Feel better? Alright, off you go. I have some other things I have to do. I am a busy girl, you know," she steered Mark firmly towards the door. "Go home," she unceremoniously shoved the blond out of her hut. She watched the young man walked away for a few seconds before finally closing her door.

Then she muttered a spell to open a portal to the Other, and stepped through it. The portal brought her right into the Harvest Goddess' sitting room. The Goddess of the Other was sitting on a comfortable, overstuffed reading chair by the window, reading a book. There was a steaming mug on the side table beside her.

"Hey," the Witch Princess greeted the Goddess. "I have a question for you". Without waiting for a response, the Witch started to describe Mark's dream. The Goddess closed her book, and placed it on the side table. She reached for her mug, and sipped it, while listening to her sister, without saying anything.

"The darkness in Mark's dream, does that sound like a damned soul to you?" The Witch Princess asked.

"Actually yes, it does..." The Goddess thought, holding her mug with both hands. "And he had this dream three times already?"

"Yes. That little girl in the dream, I wonder, who is she? More accurately, _what_ is she?" The Witch started to pace the room, with her hands behind her back. "Mark doesn't have the gift of premonition. So the question is: who has been sending this dream to Mark? And why him?"

"I don't know..." the Goddess looked out the window for a moment, raking her brain. Then she turned her face towards the Witch Princess. "I guess we should monitor this dream. See if this dream will keep recurring. Maybe it is nothing, but if it keeps happening..."

"Yeah, I know, I know. Then he may have to save the girl, fight a damned soul, which is super dangerous, etc, etc". The Witch Princess wrinkled her forehead. "If this dream keeps happening, and if Mark has something to do with it. Don't you think...don't you think that we need to prepare him? We need to give him something to protect him," she looked at her sister.

There was a small smile on the Goddess' face. "Since when do you care so much for a human, sister?"

"I...I don't care. I...I just...think it's unfair to Mark, that's all," the Witch crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"Of course. I do agree with you, we need to prepare him, when the time comes. But we also need to be careful not to interfere too much. Sometimes humans need to learn how to solve their own problem".

The Witch Princess looked away. She hated to admit it, but her sister was right. She shook her head, and stepped through the portal to return home without saying anything further.

* * *

><p>It was one winter morning, a couple of weeks after Mark's visit to the Witch Princess' hut. The weak winter sun filtered through the curtains into the bedroom, falling onto Mark's face. He smiled a little contented smile, savoring the warm, mellow feeling. Blanket and sheets were wrinkled all over and around him, evidence of the morning lovemaking. Vaughn was snuggling him, his head resting on Mark's chest, breathing deeply and slowly.<p>

Then Mark's stomach grumbled. Food, I need food, he thought. He realized then that he was sweaty. Shower, he thought, shower is what I need. Shower first, then food.

Mark was feeling good. He had not dreamed that dream again, and he had concluded, with relief, that it was just a fluke. Maybe the Princess was right, it was just stress, he thought. He stretched lazily. Oh yes, that's right, he thought, as he looked at his wrists. I have almost forgotten about that.

"Vaughn..." Mark started.

"Yeah?" Vaughn pushed himself up on his elbow, looking down at Mark.

"Why am I tied up?" Mark showed the silver-haired man his wrists, which were tied up together, not too tightly, with a piece of clothing. I think it's my own pajama top, Mark thought. He had woken up that morning, naked, wrists tied up together, and Vaughn was kissing and fondling him. Why do I even bother wearing pajama to bed, the blond wondered. On most nights, as soon as he got under the blanket, Vaughn would strip him anyway.

Vaughn smirked. "Sorry. You look so cute when you are sleeping. I can't help myself".

"Uh, okay. But, could you please untie me now? I think it is time for breakfast".

"Later. Let's do it again..." Vaughn said as he rolled on top of Mark. He grabbed Mark's wrists, and pinned them down above the blond's head, as he started to nip at his lover's ears.

Mark felt his face burning, "I am hungry. I need a shower..." He said, but his voice was a little less firm than before. Vaughn ignored him, of course. He teased Mark's nipple with his tongue and sucked it gently. He loved the pretty, pink color of Mark's nipples, and how they became erect to his touch.

Damn wolf man, Mark thought, as he shivered from the delicious sensation coursing through his body. Damn insatiable wolf man...

It was already mid-morning when Mark could finally shower, and start making breakfast. He poured beaten eggs into a couple of frying pans, making omelets for breakfast. They were leaving the farmhouse tomorrow, and he had felt a little tug at his heart. He had gotten attached to this farm and this house, and he had really worked hard in the past year running the farm. The farm had felt like a real home, his own home, and the thought that he was leaving, made him feel a little blue.

He looked at the calendar, which hung on the kitchen wall. Today is the Winter Harmony Day, Mark thought. Should I bake a chocolate cake for Vaughn, he wondered. Gaah, what am I thinking? He slapped his own forehead. Stop acting as if you are a young girl in love, he chastised himself silently. But thinking about Winter Harmony Day, and whether or not he should bake a cake took his mind off his sadness, momentarily.

"Why are you hitting yourself?" Vaughn asked him. One of his hands was on the small of Mark's back. His other hand was holding a coffee mug.

"Er...nothing" Mark responded. His face was slowly turning crimson. Nothing, I just had a silly moment, in which I had forgotten that I am a grown man, and not a young girl, he thought.

That was when someone rung the doorbell.

"Could you please get that?" Mark said. He opened the kitchen cabinet, reaching out for plates.

"Sure," Vaughn gave Mark a little peck on the ear, which caused the blond to stop his movement mid way. Vaughn smirked as he walked out of the kitchen to answer the door.

That guy, Mark thought furiously, as his face continued to burn. How does he do that? How could he make my knees feel weak like this? Seriously, how? He shook his head, and continued to reach for the plates. Mark folded the omelets over, and slid them onto a couple of plates. One omelet per plate. He added a couple of toasts on each plate.

"Shea asked me to go to his house today to meet his foster father," Han said. The cat boy was sitting at the kitchen table. "Can I go?"

"Sure, just make sure that you will be home by dinner time," Mark responded, placing a plate of food in front of Han. He also placed a glass of milk in front of the cat boy, and a little bit of butter and a jar of apple jam on the table. Han buttered his toasts before he heaped on apple jam on them. He loved anything with apples, which Mark had always thought to be weird, because Han was a cat spirit. Mark didn't expect a cat spirit to love apples with such gusto.

"Leave some for Vaughn and I," Mark told Han. "It's my last jar of apple jam".

Han had looked sad. "But you are going to make more, right?" He said, his eyes big and pleading.

"Of course, if I can get some good apples," Mark said.

"Morning Mark," Chelsea greeted Mark cheerfully, as she and Vaughn entered the kitchen. "I brought you and Vaughn some chocolate! You know, for the Harmony Day".

"Oh...thanks..." Mark said, not meeting Chelsea's eyes. "Do you...uh, want some breakfast? Coffee?"

Vaughn placed the package that Chelsea gave him on the kitchen counter. Then he calmly sat at the kitchen table, sipping his coffee. Mark placed a plate with omelet and toasts in front of Vaughn. Like Han, Vaughn buttered his toasts before heaping apple jam on them. He liked apple jam, especially since he knew that Mark spent hours in the kitchen, peeling, coring, chopping and boiling apples to make them. He took a big bite off his toast.

"No, thanks. I ate breakfast already. And I am not planning to stay for long..." Chelsea peered at Mark. "Don't worry, Mark. Vaughn told me that he loves you," she said, smiling.

"Oh...I...I am sorry..." Mark said weakly.

"Oh, Mark, you don't need to apologize. You are a nice guy. I am happy for you. Really. I...I am just surprised that I hadn't seen it earlier. I guess I should have listened to Julia. She had thought that there was something going on between you two..." Chelsea hesitated. Then with a low voice she continued, "...but you have to treat Vaughn nicely, okay? Or I will steal him from you, you hear me?"

"I...uh...really? You are going to do that?" Mark said with a small voice.

"Ha...ha...ha..." Chelsea slapped Mark at the back, laughing. "You are just so gullible, you know. I am just kidding of course".

"Ah...right. Of course," Mark finally met Chelsea's eyes, relieved. He was glad that Chelsea seemed to be her cheerful self. "Thanks again for the chocolate," he added.

"Well then, enjoy! And have a safe trip tomorrow!" Chelsea chirped brightly. She waved goodbye, and left the kitchen.

Mark turned his attention back to the frying pan on the stove. He added a little pad of butter into the frying pan, which sizzled as soon as it hit the hot pan. He swirled the pan around to coat it with the melting butter. Then he poured the rest of the beaten eggs into the pan, making an omelet for himself.

"Morning everybody!" Denny walked into the kitchen with a package.

"Denny! Morning. What's up?" Mark folded his omelet over and transferred it onto a plate, adding a couple of toast. He turned off the stove. "Do you want anything to drink? Coffee? Have you eaten breakfast yet?" He brought his own plate to the table.

"Hey Mark. Naah, I don't need anything to drink. And I ate already. Anyway, sorry, I didn't mean to just come in like this. But Chelsea opened the door, and told me that you two should be here in the kitchen. I...I brought some...uh, chocolate".

Mark's face brightened. "For me?"

Denny looked at Mark. His face was turning red. "Actually...it's for Vaughn".

"What?"

"Well, you...you told me that you and Vaughn are not together right? So...I...I thought I will give Vaughn some Harmony Day chocolate..."

"What?" Mark still couldn't believe his ears.

"Thanks Denny," Vaughn said. His face was stoic. "But Mark and I are actually together".

"Oh really?" Denny eyed Mark. "Oh...uh...sorry to hear that". Denny's face fell. "Man, I am so unlucky in love!"

"What do you mean sorry?" Mark shot Denny a look.

Denny grinned, "Sorry, buddy. Don't get angry at me, okay? I am just saying sorry because...well, you know...I just feel sorry for Vaughn. Because...uh...sometimes, you are kinda...clueless, Mark. Know what I mean?"

Mark looked puzzled. "No, I don't know what you mean. When have I ever been clueless?" He reached for the butter and the last of the apple jam for his toasts.

"Never mind. Here Vaughn, have the chocolate anyway. I already bought it, so you may as well have it. You can share it with Mark if you want," Denny said, as he handed the package to Vaughn. "By the way, have a safe trip tomorrow, okay? You guys are leaving tomorrow, right?"

"Yes, we are," Mark answered. "Thanks for the chocolate, Denny".

"You are welcome. Write me, so I know how you guys are doing, okay?"

"Will do. Come and visit us sometimes".

"Sure. See you around," Denny said, and left.

After Denny left, Mark turned his head aside, and scowled at Vaughn, "Why are you suddenly becoming so popular?"

Vaughn's facial expression was unreadable. He finished chewing and swallowing the food in his mouth, before he finally asked, "Are you jealous?" His eyes watched Mark's face carefully for his reaction.

"Of course not! Eat your breakfast before it gets cold," Mark snapped as he turned away. His face was turning crimson.

Chocolate cake, Mark thought as he rose from his seat, his breakfast had been forgotten. He pulled out mixing bowls from the kitchen cabinet. He suddenly felt the urge to bake Vaughn a chocolate cake. He chopped and melted some of the chocolate they received today, and whisked it together with eggs, butter, and flour in a large mixing bowl. Jealous, who me? He huffed. No, am not. He whisked fast and vigorously.

Han placed his breakfast dishes in the kitchen sink. "I finished my breakfast, can I go now?"

Mark looked over his shoulder, and nodded. "Be home by dinner time," he said to Han's back. The cat boy had already bolted out of the kitchen.

"Morning!" The Witch Princess materialized in the kitchen behind Mark.

"Gaah!" Mark yelped, almost dropping the mixing bowl he was holding. "Princess! What the heck are you doing here? Don't you think you should use the front door?" He put the mixing bowl on the kitchen counter.

"Tsk...the thanks I got for saving you two. Seriously, I start to regret it some days..." The Witch Princess said, pouting.

"We are grateful, but you should use the front door like everybody else," Mark countered heatedly.

"Whatever. It is not as if I will find you two in a compromising situation whenever I show up. I mean, you two are just so boring! You have never seemed to do anything interesting in the kitchen," The Witch Princess rolled her eyes. "Anyway, I have a farewell gift for you two".

"Cool!" Mark's face lit up. "What is it?"

"Do you prefer the kitty ears, or the bunny ears, Mark?" Suddenly the Witch Princess held out a pair of hairbands in her hands. One of the hairband had tawny, fluffy cat ears attached to it, while the other had pink, floppy rabbit ears.

"Wha...what...what the heck are those?" Mark was stuttering. Instantly, the expression on his face had changed from excitement to looking terrified. "And who...who are they for, again?"

"I like the kitty ears," Vaughn offered helpfully.

"Why you..." Mark turned and glared at Vaughn. "Stop agreeing with every perverted idea she has!" Now his ears were as red as tomatoes.

"Ho..ho..ho..the kitty ears then. Good choice, Vaughn". The Witch Princess handed the hairband to Vaughn.

"Mark," the Princess gestured Mark closer with her finger. Then with a low voice, she said to Mark, "Remember you said that you would do anything if I help you?"

"I...uh...yes, I remember".

"Then wear the ears for me on your and Vaughn's birthdays, okay? ...Or else..." She shot Mark a scary look.

"I...but...I..."

"Tell me," The Princess turned serious, peering at Mark closely. "Are you still having that dream?"

Mark shook his head. "Not since I talked to you".

"Good. But just in case, you are having it again, remember this: it may feel real, it may look real, but it is only an illusion. Just tell yourself that, and hang on to that girl, understand?"

"Uh, I guess..." Mark looked confused. "Actually, I am not sure..."

"You will understand, when the time comes," the Witch Princess patted Mark's shoulder briefly. "By the way, when the time comes, if, and when, the dream comes true, wear your kitty ears. It will help you, do you hear me?" She glared at Mark. "Promise me that you will wear it".

Mark blinked a couple of times, before he nodded silently.

"Okay then! I will see you two later!" Suddenly the Princess was cheerful again. She snatched one of Mark's toasts, and bit into it. "Mmm...good..." she muttered to herself, as she disappeared into thin air.

Vaughn had missed the conversation between Mark and the Witch Princess, as he was looking intently at the cat ears hairband in his hands. He was lost in some private moments, which involved a blond wearing nothing, but a ribbon tied around his neck, and cat ears on his head. His eyes glinted, and there was a little smile on his face.

Damn, Mark thought, staring at Vaughn. He looks so adorable when he is happy, Mark thought. Without thinking, he went over, lowered his head, and kissed Vaughn lightly on the forehead.

Vaughn looked up. The ears were instantly forgotten, and dropped to the floor.

Oops, kissing him was the wrong thing to do, Mark thought, as he recognized the look in Vaughn's eyes.

"No...no...no...I have to bake a cake for you. I have to eat breakfast..." Mark pleaded as he tried to back away. But he was too slow. Vaughn had risen from his seat, and caught him.

"Put me down. Bad dog! Bad doggy!" Mark protested, as Vaughn lifted him up and carried him over the shoulder. Vaughn pretended he didn't hear Mark, and headed towards the bedroom.

End of Chapter 21


	22. Chapter 22: Alliance

Author's note: Just an short explanation. The alpha of a wolf clan will always be called the Great Wolf. The title of the wolf next in line (or called beta wolf in wolf pack terminology) will be according to the name of the clan. Example: Vaughn is next in line after his father, so his title is Silver Wolf, while his father is Great Wolf since he is the present alpha of Silver Wolfe clan.

And...I used a semi-colon for the first time ever. Yay. Whether it was used correctly, well...let's just say although I have struggled with semi-colon for awhile, it's _still_ a mystery to me.

Chapter 22: Alliance

The room was crowded, dark, and noisy. Sofas, tables and chairs, in the style which was geared more towards aesthetics, rather than comfort, lined the periphery of the room. It was all metal and leather chairs and sofas, paired with glass and metal tables, all red and black, masculine and sleek. A bar was set up at the end of room, manned by a couple of bartenders. Two or three dozens of wolf men and their soul keepers were hollering, laughing, and drinking. Almost everyone was dressed in black pants, and black or crimson tops, if he was wearing any top, that is.

The room was lit with flashing, flickering lights, not too bright, just enough to let you navigate your way through furniture and people. The flickering lights, showed snapshots of the people: a face here lit up for a second, then a torso there, a silhouette somewhere else. A loud music was playing from a steam-powered jukebox, with booming, thumping beats. The kind of beats that made you want to stomp your foot, and jump up and down. In the middle of the room, bare-chested men were dancing to the music, whipping their heads from side to side, fists punching up in the air, in time with the beat. From time to time, one or more of the wolves howled. There was a feeling of wild energy pulsing in the room, fueled by alcohol, testosterone, and desire gathering heat with every passing minute. The energy coursing, galloping like a stallion, from one thrusting pelvis to another, hair whipping fiercely, from one stomping foot to another. It was a stallion otherwise known as "happy hour". And it was always happy hour, every night, in the Crimson Wolfe's den.

Four young men entered the room. A tall wolf man, with red hair and hazel eyes, led the group. He was dressed in a dark suit and a red tie. Walking close to him, was a stunning blond in a white suit, also a wolf man. Their soul keepers were walking a couple of steps behind them: a serious-looking, bespectacled red head, with brown eyes, and a boyish-looking man with braided dark hair that almost reached his waist.

"Thank you for taking us in, Great Wolf," Will addressed the man in the black suit. Will's blue eyes surveyed the room, and lingered at the dancing men, at their adam apples, belly buttons, muscular backs narrowed into hard asses bound by low-rise skinny pants. He felt himself getting excited. He thought he caught a whiff of something pungent and sweet in the air. Sweat and liquor, he thought. Leather and candy.

The Great Wolf of the Crimson Wolfe clan waved his hand casually. "Please, call me Charles. The enemy of the Silver Wolfe clan is my friend". He directed the group towards a sofa where a few men were sitting. "I would like you to meet my twin brother, Caleb," he said to Will.

As twins, Caleb resembled Charles physically, but the similarities stopped there. Instead of wearing a dark business suit like his twin brother, Caleb was attired in dark leather pants and a blood red shirt, unbuttoned all the way, showing his nice, toned abs. Charles wore his hair neatly, medium length, just grazing his shoulder. Caleb's short hair, on the other hand, was messy, and sticking out all over the place. What a big difference between the two brothers, Will thought. Charles was looking more like a businessman, all aloof and stoic looking. He stood calmly in the room with erect bearing, his hands clasped behind his back, nose a little up in the air. Caleb on the other hand, was sprawling on the sofa, feet on the coffee table in front of him, and arms thrown over the shoulders of his companions.

Charles and Caleb. Both attractive in their own way. And between the two, Will was willing to bet that Charles was the more dangerous, and ruthless one.

"Introduce me with my title, brother," Caleb grumbled. He refused to look at Charles, and kept his eyes on the men on the dancing floor instead.

"Ah yes," Charles said coolly. "This is Caleb, the Crimson Wolf. Caleb, this is Will, the Golden Wolf. He is leaving his pack and joining us".

"It's my pleasure to meet you, Crimson Wolf," Will flashed a perfect smile, offering a hand shake.

Caleb's eyes rested on Will's face for a few seconds, and then down to his proffered hand. He didn't move to shake Will's hand, instead he said, "Wanna drink?"

"Will and I have something to discuss, brother. Please excuse us," Charles dismissed Caleb's offer, before Will had the chance to respond. "Please Will, this way," he steered the Golden Wolf away. Will glanced over his shoulder at Caleb as he was led away, just in time to see the Crimson Wolf threw a sharp look at Charles.

Charles sat at an empty table at one of the corners of the room, and gestured Will and the soul keepers to sit down. He waved his hand at the bartender, who came right away. "Is red wine okay?" Charles asked Will.

"Fine with me," Will answered. Charles spoke to the bartender, who nodded and went back to the bar. The bartender came back few minutes later with a bottle of red wine and four wine glasses. He uncorked the wine with pop, and poured the wine. When he finished pouring, he left the bottle on the table and went back to the bar.

Charles swirled his wine glass before taking a sip. "I have to say, Golden Wolf, it came as a surprise to me, when I heard that Gareth, the Great Wolf of the Silver Wolfe clan, had decided to strike you down. I have always thought that he loved you more than his own son. There were rumors that he was grooming you to become alpha, to become his successor".

He gets to the point, Will thought. Charles was the kind of man who didn't waste time. "Please, call me Will. I do not believe it was Gareth. I think it was his soul keeper who had a grudge against me. Haru, the Great Wolf's soul keeper, told the wolves to attack my pack," Will said, smiling a sad, small smile. Thinking of Haru, and of Mark, his rage stirred inside him. Before he had never believed that a soul keeper would dare to defy him like that.

Charles put down his wine glass, and raised his eyebrows. "His soul keeper? How could a soul keeper manage to rally a pack of wolves to do his bidding? What element is he?"

Will frowned. "I am not sure. I have not seen him wield his element". He leaned slightly towards Charles. "I believe this is the weakness of the Silver Wolfe clan. Gareth insisted on treating a soul keeper as an equal. He listens to Haru frequently, and so do some other wolves in the pack. Gareth would let soul keepers accompany their wolves to important clan meetings, and often ask them for their opinions. He would even allow soul keepers to marry women if they wish".

"That's preposterous! Why would a wolf man treat a soul keeper as his equal?" Charles reached for his wine glass once again. He was about to bring it to his lips when he thought of something. He replaced his wine glass on the table. "They may look like wolf men, but without the wolf spirits, humans are inferior. Human males are only good for soul keeping and..." He paused to give Will a knowing smile. "...entertainment," he continued. "And soul keepers are supposed to pledge their full loyalty to their wolves, how could they do that if they marry and have their own family?"

"I, wholeheartedly agree with you," Will said, with an alluring smile. "This is why I admire you, Great Wolf". He met Charles' eyes with a bold look, brimming with suggestions. "And I believe we can help each other..."

Charles returned Will's smile. "Let's discuss this in my private chamber..." He rose from his seat, and looked at Elliot. "You know, I wouldn't mind if your soul keeper joins us..." He reached out with his hand, and was about to touch Elliot's face, when Will suddenly gripped his wrist.

"Don't touch my property". Will's eyes flashed cold for a moment, but quickly, they softened. He tilted his head, and loosened his grip. "Besides, I am more than enough man for you, Charles. You'll see..." He ran his fingers playfully up Charles' arm.

"I like you, Will," Charles smirked. "You are possessive of what belongs to you. Just like me. Follow me". He nodded at his soul keeper, "You are free for the night, Kaede".

"Elliot, go back to our room, and wait for me there," Will said, without looking at Elliot. He didn't need to. He knew Elliot would obey him.

Charles led Will into his living quarter. As soon as they were in the bedroom, they fell into each other, french-kissing, tearing each other's clothes off. Charles became a different man in the bedroom. The usually aloof and proper wolf man, behaved as if he had been starving, and Will was his first meal in a long while. He was also a very demanding man, greedily taking more than he was giving. But Will didn't mind. He knew that he owed and needed Charles to help him bringing the Silver Wolfe clan down.

Debauchery, Will thought. One of his favorite words. Licentious. The word tickled his mind, making him shivered with pleasure.

After few rounds of loud and rough sex, the two wolf men finally calmed down, and continued their conversations.

"I heard that Gareth had even given you the strongest soul keeper the clan had, while his own son got the weakest one. Is that true?" Charles glanced at Will who was lying beside him.

"That's what people said. Elliot is a strong soul keeper," Will had sounded almost proud. Almost.

"And what is his element?"

"Lightning".

Charles nodded with approval. "A lightning soul keeper is good to have in battle. That's a very strong element. What about Vaughn's soul keeper?"

"I believe he is a wind elemental. A very weak one, from what I have seen".

Charles smiled. "I see. I wonder...maybe the Great Wolf was hoping for that soul keeper to become stronger. A strong wind elemental on your side can be very useful in battle, and more likely ensure your victory. Even without his wolf..." He paused as he thought of something. "...But most wind elementals are very weak. I only know one strong one. One soul keeper by the name of Bishop".

"Even without his wolf, did you say?"

"Yes, you know how the soul keepers use their wolves as amplifiers? To increase the strength of their elements? Well, Bishop could unleash his full power without having to use his wolf. Furthermore, his full power was even stronger than an amplified weak wind soul keeper could ever muster".

"Which pack does he belong?"

"His wolf, the Azure Wolf, used to be part of our clan. But ten years ago, Bishop killed a few of our wolves. I couldn't remember exactly what happened. Azure Wolf and Bishop ran away after that incident. We looked for them for years. But it was as if they had disappeared from the face of the earth. That was when we realized how powerful Bishop was, and it was a devastating loss for us. He was the strongest wind soul keeper we had seen for decades. We have not found anyone as strong as he was. Of course, it does not help that wind elements are rare to start with. Not the rarest, but still pretty rare. The rarest one is the heart element". Charles raked his brain. "As a matter of fact, I don't think I have any wind or heart soul keeper in my clan at the moment. But the heart elemental is useless in battle, making it useless in my book. The wind elemental however..." He tapped his fingers on his lips, and was lost in a private thought once again. "So the Great Wolf gave you a very strong element, and he gave his son a rare one". He smiled. "I wonder what he was thinking..."

"Well, you don't need to worry about Mark, Vaughn's soul keeper. As I have mentioned before, he is a very weak one. I don't think he is going to be another Bishop".

"Good. It will be a trouble for us, if he turns out to be a strong one".

Will pushed himself up on his elbow and looked at Charles. He decided to approach the subject heads-on. He had the feeling that Charles was the kind of man who would appreciate straight-forwardness. "Caleb doesn't like you very much, does he?" He asked.

That question brought a smile on Charles' face. "You are very observant and straight-forward. I like that. Yes, he doesn't. He thinks he should be the Great Wolf when our father passed away, because he is older. But our father made me his heir, instead of Caleb. So now he refused to speak to me unless it is necessary, which is fine with me. In any case, he is unorganized, lazy, and irresponsible. I am a much better alpha than him".

Will looked at Charles. Yes. you two despise each other, he thought. "Well, I definitely agree with you. You are a much better alpha. You are much more suited to be the Great Wolf". Will rose from the bed, and started to put his clothes back on.

"Would you have lunch with me tomorrow?" Charles sat up, watching Will dressed. "Noon? In the Great Room?"

"Would Kaede be there?" Will asked indirectly, if Elliot should be there for lunch.

"No," Charles said simply.

"I'll see you at lunch tomorrow then," Will turned his head to flash a brilliant smile, as he started briskly towards the door. "Good night". He opened the door, and stepped out of the room, closing the door softly behind him.

On his way to his room, Will had stopped by the Great Room to find Caleb. "Is that offer for a drink still stands, Crimson Wolf?"

"Of course," Caleb responded, meeting Will's eyes. He nudged a young man sitting beside him. "Go somewhere else, Jason," he said. After the man left, Caleb patted the now empty seat beside him. "Call me Caleb. Have a sit," he told Will. "What kind of drink would you like?"

"Wine. White, please".

Caleb nodded and gestured at the bartender. "Did you have a nice _talk_ with my brother?" He asked. There was a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

"Yes. I had a nice chat with your _younger_ brother," Will answered, calmly. He crossed his legs, and sipped his white wine. It was nice and crisp, perfectly chilled.

"I see. So he told you..." Caleb frowned. "Then he must have told you how unfit I am to be alpha anyway. That I am lazy, irresponsible, blah, blah..."

"Yes, he did".

"If you agree with him, then why the fuck are you talking to me?" Caleb's eyes flashed. It was obvious that his temper was raising.

"I didn't say I agree, Caleb. I have the feeling that Charles is wrong about you," Will said. He uncrossed his legs, and cast his eyes down, demurely. He put his wine glass down on the coffee table. "In any case, I...I definitely think you are the more handsome one," he gave Caleb a sideways glance. "Definitely the more _exciting_ one..." he whispered.

Caleb turned and caught Will's face, bringing it closer for a kiss. For a moment, the two men were lost in the kiss, their tongues exploring each other, hands buried in each other's hair. Then Will pulled away, breathing hard, his mouth slightly opened.

"I...am a little tired at the moment. I need my rest, but...maybe, maybe I can see you tomorrow?" He put a little quiver in his voice, as if he was nervous.

A smirk formed at the edge of Caleb's mouth. "You can find me here tomorrow night, darling".

"I will," Will let out a sigh, sounding as if he was relieved. "Until tomorrow then, Caleb". He rose, and walked away. Too easy, he thought. This is going to be too easy.

Will had realized a long time ago, starting in his early teens, the kind of influence he had on many men and women, especially the men. Maybe it was his slender figure, his porcelain skin, or his pretty blue eyes: he had his human mother to thank for that; she was a classic beauty herself. But whatever it was, men and women seemed to desire him. He was afraid at first, at those hungry eyes and greedy mouths, until he discovered, over the years, that he could get whatever he wanted, as long as he played his cards right.

It was almost dawn when Will returned to his own living quarter, that one he shared with Elliot. Charles had set him and Elliot in one of many living quarters in the Crimson Wolfe's sprawling mansion. The living quarter was small, but comfortable, with one bedroom, a bath and a small kitchen/living area.

"You are back," Elliot stood, as soon as the wolf man entered the room. He was sitting on the sofa in the living area, waiting for his wolf.

"Yes, I am," Will walked straight into the bedroom. He stripped, and plopped on the bed with a long sigh. He was exhausted. A minute or two later, he felt Elliot climbed onto the bed, beside him. He turned away, so that his back faced Elliot.

"Good night, Will..." Elliot whispered, as he inched closer, his face almost touching Will's back.

Will didn't respond, or indicated in any way, that he had heard. The other day, he had found a dictionary in the Crimson Wolfe's small library, and had looked up the meaning of the word "love". When he was a child, he had loved books, and words. He had loved looking up words in the dictionary. However, he had not done so for a while, until recently, when he once again felt a desire to read. Love, according to the dictionary, was a deep, tender, ineffable feeling of affection and solicitude toward a person...

Will closed his eyes, trying to fall asleep. Alien emotions rose in him, but were quickly smothered by the more familiar ones.

Love. Solicitude. Joy.

These are words which, I will never understand, Will thought. He rested his hand where he thought his heart should be. Had his heart ever pulsed with a warm emotion? He wondered. If it had, he couldn't quite remember. He believed that at one time he had loved his mother, the human female who had borne him, and, at the very least, he had respected his cold and distant father. But they were gone a long time ago, and now he found that he couldn't quite remember, how he had felt towards them. His heart felt like a dead something. Shriveled and gnarly, scarred, and dried up beyond recognition.

Abhorrence. Atrophy. Anemic.

A heart like mine, Will thought. These are the words which describe a heart like mine...

* * *

><p>The next day, it was already late morning, when Will opened his eyes. He looked at his watch. It was almost time to meet with Charles for lunch. He turned to look for his soul keeper, Elliot, who was still sleeping beside him. He eyed his soul keeper's face carefully. Elliot looks so peaceful when he is sleeping, Will thought. He felt something stirring inside him, but stopped himself in time. He needed to hurry if he wanted to make the lunch date with Charles, so he rose from his bed, and headed towards the bathroom. He showered and groomed himself carefully before dressing in a fresh set of clothing. He left a note for Elliot telling his soul keeper to stay in the room as much as possible.<p>

Charles was already in the Great Room when Will arrived. The room looks so different in the daytime, Will thought. It was brightly lit, and ordered, bearing no traces of the nightly parties. There was no one else in that room except for Charles, and a servant hovering in the background. A bottle of champagne sat waiting inside an ice bucket on the table.

Will smiled at Charles. "I am sorry, have you been waiting long?" He said as he sat beside Charles.

"Just a few minutes. Not too long. Since we will be having fish, is champagne all right?" Charles glanced at Will.

"That's fine. Thank you".

The servant popped open the champagne bottle and poured the bubbly into Charles and Will's glasses.

"I have a proposition for you," Charles said.

Another servant came with a tray with their lunch. Charles waited for the servant to finish serving them lunch, and walk away, before he continued, "I would like you to work for me as my assistant and secretary".

Will sipped his bubbly before he responded. "I will be honored, Great Wolf".

Charles nodded, as if he had expected that answer. "You seemed smart and responsible, unlike many other wolves in my pack," his voice was full of disdain. "All they want to do is having fun..."

"I will work hard, Charles. I am not Caleb. I have an excellent work ethics," Will poked around his bouillabaisse with his spoon. The bouillabaisse smelled heavenly, full of fresh herbs and ripened tomatoes. Good for me, that Charles disapproves of his own wolves, Will thought.

Charles held out his champagne glass, for a toast. "Here is to a start of a satisfying working relationship". They clinked glasses. "You duties will include..." For the rest of the lunch, Charles described Will's new responsibility. The latter listened carefully, and asked intelligent questions here and there.

After lunch, Charles took Will to his office to show him where things were, and his new desk. Then Charles bent Will over his own mahogany working desk, and had his way with the blond. After they were done, Charles calmly told Will that he could take the rest of the day off, but he would expect Will to be in at 9 o'clock sharp tomorrow morning. The Great Wolf waved his hand casually to dismiss Will, and was soon absorbed with his work.

Will went back to his room for another shower. Elliot was awake by then, so Will changed his mind and decided to have the red head instead. When he was done with Elliot, he took a long, hot bath, feeling pleased with himself. Being Charles' assistant and secretary is a very good way to gain that man's confidence, Will thought. We are off to a good start, he told himself silently. After a while, he rose from the bath, groomed and dressed himself carefully once again. He wondered what time Caleb would usually show up in the Great Room.

"Elliot, please take a bath and prepare dinner".

"Yes," Elliot said weakly. He swung his legs over the bed and pushed himself up. He swayed a little as he stood.

"Starting tomorrow I will be working for Charles as his assistant and secretary," Will said. He sat on a chair, reaching for a book.

"Oh, that's good...I guess..."

"Yes, it is. You'll see..." There was a glint in Will's eyes.

Elliot saw that familiar look in Will's eyes which told him that the Golden Wolf was planning something. "Are...are you planning to spend a lot of time wi...with Charles?" He stuttered.

"It's not something you need to worry about, soul keeper," Will responded sharply. He had sounded annoyed. "Wait, come here," he said as Elliot was walking towards the bathroom. "Kiss me".

Elliot approached Will slowly, and tentatively planted a kiss the wolf man's lips. Will caught Elliot's face with both hands, and french-kissed him. "Now, you can go," Will said after he broke the kiss.

Elliot went to the bathroom and locked the door. He leaned against the bathroom door, sliding down until he finally sat on the floor. I don't know what to do, he thought. He treats me badly, he goes around and sleeps with anyone, but...but then...there were moments when he could be gentle. Like the way he kissed me just now, he thought. His fingers gently caressed his own lips. Will's lips had felt soft and full. Suddenly Elliot felt tired, so very tired, and his chest hurt. It felt as if there was a wound in his heart. Every time he thought that the wound was about to heal, Will would pick over the scab, making it bleed all over again...

* * *

><p>After dinner, Will went to the Great Room to find Caleb, but the wolf man wasn't there. He decided to wait and see if the Crimson Wolf would show. He sat on the sofa where Caleb sat yesterday, and he could see that the preparation for tonight's happy hour was already on the way. One of the bartenders were wiping glasses, making sure that they shined, while the other was wiping tables and counters.<p>

"There you are," Caleb threw himself on the sofa, beside Will. He was wearing a pair of dark pants, and a sleeveless black tee, showing off his toned arms this time. "mmm...you smell nice," he said as he got closer, and threw an arm over Will's shoulders.

"Thank you," Will said with a low voice. He averted his eyes. "I...I don't know what time you will be here..."

"Well, I am here now, babe," Caleb shot Will a brash smile. "You know, you really are beautiful, Golden Wolf". He stared at Will's face openly.

"Thank...thank you," Will said, sounding pleased. "There is something I would like to tell you..."

"Oh?"

"Your brother just asked me to become his secretary".

"Is that so?" Caleb's tone of voice was sharp. He withdrew his arm.

"Yes, I thought...I thought that I will do it. I would like to learn more about how the clan works so that one day, when _you_ are alpha, I can help you," Will raised his eyes briefly to meet Caleb's.

"Well, you have to wait for a long time for that. I doubt I will be alpha soon. Charles is in good health, and he does plan on having children one day. Most likely, I will never become alpha". Caleb's face darkened.

"Well, ever since I first laid my eyes on you, I think you should be alpha..." Will's fingertips touched Caleb's naked arm lightly. "I will help you..."

Caleb gave Will a hard look. "Why would you help me?"

"Because...I...I...like you, Caleb," Will's voice quivered once again.

Caleb stood abruptly. "Come with me," he said gruffly as he grabbed Will's wrist. He dragged the blond towards his own living quarter. Inside his bedroom, he shoved Will onto the bed, and fell on top of the blond.

"No...wait. Stop," Will struggled free. He jumped off the bed.

"What's the problem?" Caleb was annoyed.

"I...how do you feel about me?" Will looked nervous as he played with his shirt's button.

"Well, I think you are fucking beautiful, darling". There was a cocky, loop-sided smile on Caleb's face. He was sprawled on the bed, on his back, supporting himself on his elbows. "We both agree," he said as he flicked his eyes at his crotch, where a bulge was straining against his tight pants.

Will shot him a look. "I don't want to be one of your conquests, Caleb. I really like you. So I don't want to sleep with you tonight".

Caleb gave Will a strange look. He hesitated for a couple of seconds or so. Then,"Fine. Let's just go and party tonight okay?" He rose slowly from the bed. He offered his hand to Will.

Will flashed a white smile, as he took Caleb's hand. "Okay, let's go".

For the rest of the night, they were inseparable. They were drinking, dancing, and making out on the sofa. When it was time for Will to say goodbye, Caleb had asked him if he could see the blond again, the next day. Will had agreed, and this time it was Caleb who seemed so relieved.

End of Chapter 22


	23. Chapter 23: Journey Home

Author's note: the song mentioned here is called "The Last Night of the World" from Miss Saigon musical.

Chapter 23: Journey Home

"This is the last box," Vaughn said, as he handed a tightly sealed box labeled "kitchen stuff" to Mark. Mark stuck the box in the corner of the steam wagon. They didn't have too many things to haul: some clothing, books, most of Mark's farming tools, and his pots and pans.

"I guess we are ready to go then," Mark said, to no one in particular. "Alright, everybody! On the wagon!" This time he yelled at Han and Shea. Yes, Shea had begged to come. The jungle boy had been living by himself in the island. He didn't have any family, other than a foster father, who would visit him from time to time. Vaughn and Mark couldn't say no, especially since Han had seemed so hopeful. The cat boy was so happy when they had decided to allow Shea to come along, that he had hugged Mark, and then Vaughn, enthusiastically. Something that he had never done before. Needless to say, Vaughn was stunned.

This time they had sent a word, weeks before they left the farm, and an enthusiastic letter from Haru had answered them.

They all boarded the wagon. It was a metal and wood wagon, powered by steam, instead of horses. It had four steel wheels, a wooden cart for the passengers and their belongings, and a wooden bench in front of the cart for the driver, and another person. There was a steering wheel, two pedals and a braking lever by the wagon front seat. The wagon cart was roofed by water-proof canvas stretched over steel arch frames. There was a large water tank, a boiler, and a steam engine installed underneath the wagon. The boiler produced a high pressure steam which was fed into the gears inside the engine, which in turn, drove the shaft and crank of the wagon wheels.

Mark took the driver seat, while Vaughn sat beside him. Han and Shea sat inside the wagon, chattering among themselves. Mark looked at the steering wheel with a mixture of anticipation, excitement and a little fear. He had never driven a steam wagon before, but he was looking forward to it. Driving the steam wagon was supposed to be simple enough: one pedal for forward, one pedal for braking, steering wheel to direct the wagon, and a lever to be set when parking.

Here goes nothing, Mark thought, as he flipped the switch marked "on". The wagon trembled to life. Steam hissed out of the engine, and gears could be heard creaking, and turning. Mark pushed the braking lever to release the parking brake, and stepped on the gas pedal, flooring it. The wagon jumped forward, and sped out of the farm.

"Aargh!" Vaughn screamed. "Slow down! Slow down!" He held onto his seat until his knuckles were white. The wagon skittered out of the farm, barely missing the farm old fence, and careened down the dirt road. Why, Vaughn thought, as he held on for dear life. Why did I let him convinced me to get this monstrosity? We should have gotten a horse wagon instead. That was when Vaughn realized why he loved animals so much: because they were a lot more sensible than the steam powered beasts, and they certainly wouldn't try to kill him. I should have put my foot down, he thought. But Mark had looked so cute when he was pleading for the steam wagon. His green eyes were big and puppy-dog like. Vaughn didn't have the heart to say no to those eyes.

Mark eased his foot off the gas, and the wagon slowed down gradually. That was fun, he thought. He had wanted to do it again. But then he glanced sideways at Vaughn, and noted how pale the wolf man's face had become. Maybe when Vaughn is not here, Mark concluded, as he kept the wagon traveling at an easy speed. Soon his concentration was focused on trying to maneuver the damn thing. Trying to keep the wagon straight on the path was more difficult than he had anticipated. He kept over-correcting the wagon. It took him awhile before he got used to steering it.

Mark turned his head to catch the last look of his farm, which was getting smaller, and farther. No, not his anymore, he reminded himself. But a small part of him couldn't help thinking that it was still his home. It had definitely felt like home. Then a realization hit him. The farm had felt like home because Vaughn was there, because it was a place where he had fallen in love for the first time in his life. Vaughn is my home, he thought. He is all I need...

"Watch out!" Vaughn barked.

"Oh, shit!" Mark whipped his head back to face the road, just in time to turn the wheel abruptly to the right. The wagon staggered to one side, as it just missed running over a girl who was walking on the path. "Hi, Julia! Sorry, Julia! Bye, Julia!" Mark greeted her at the top of his lungs, as he tried to steer the wagon with one hand, and waved at the girl with the other.

"Stop trying to kill us or other islanders!" Vaughn hissed at Mark. "Pay attention!"

Mark threw his head back and burst out laughing. Adrenalin coursed through his veins, making him to feel giddy, and exhilarated. Suddenly he felt as if he could face anything, do anything. I am at home with Vaughn, he thought. I finally find a place where I belong. And I will _never_ be alone again. Life is a beautiful thing. He turned his face towards Vaughn, and grinned like a maniac. "Sorry, sorry. Please don't be mad..."

"Eyes on the road," Vaughn said, while trying to keep his face straight. "Just drive properly, and don't kill anybody," he added, with as much as stern he could muster. He turned his head aside, pretending to admire the scenery that was passing by, while trying to hide a smile that was forming on his face.

"Shea, I guess it's kind of too late to ask this. But are you sure about coming with us?" Han asked the boy who sat beside him in the wagon cart. The boys bounced lightly as the cart was jolted from side to side by the bumpy, dirt road.

"Yes. Shea is sure. I want to come," Shea nodded. "I will protect you. I promised, right?"

"Yeah," Han looked down. "I just feel that maybe I was a little selfish for asking you to come with us..."

"No. You are not. I am glad you asked," Shea smiled. "I hope they have good fishing and hunting in the new place".

"What about Wada? Are you going to miss him?"

"Wada said he is going to visit me," Shea responded. "No worries," he tried to convince Han. "Wada said I am a man. Not a boy anymore. I can live anywhere I want". He looked at Han shyly, and was blushing a little. "And I want to live with you..."

"This is going to be fun, right? All of us living together? We can do everything together. We can go fishing, and hunting together. We can eat together," Han had sounded excited. "Just stay away from the dog in the mornings," he leaned towards the jungle boy, and spoke with a serious face. "The dog can be very grumpy in the mornings. But..." He whispered,"...he is really a softie, the dog. What do they say? His bark is worse than his bite?" He chuckled.

They had stopped for a picnic lunch on the way, and to stretch their legs. Since it was still winter, they sat inside the wagon to have their lunch. Mark had packed some sandwiches and hard-boiled eggs for the lunch. For himself, Han and Shea, he had packed veggie and cheese sandwiches: slices of green peppers, cucumbers, and cheese as fillings. For Vaughn, he had packed a simple cheese sandwich, since he still couldn't figure out how to hide vegetables in sandwiches.

Vaughn nodded with approval when he saw that there was nothing else but cheese, in his sandwich. As he bit into his sandwich, he glanced sideways at Mark, and he had the feeling that the soul keeper had probably fed him hundreds, if not thousands, of vegetables in the past year, as they started to live under one roof. He sighed, as he chewed his sandwich. I guess I should be happy that at least he cares about me, my health, and eating habits, he thought. I suppose I should be glad that I am the one Mark fussed over, even if it means that I will have to eat vegetables for the rest of my life. For the rest of my life, Vaughn repeated that phrase in his head, as he stole another glance at Mark...

"So, are you excited that you are going home?" Mark spoke to Vaughn. He was peeling a hard-boiled egg. "You haven't said much about it". He sprinkled a little salt and pepper on the egg before taking a bite.

"Not really. It's not something I want to do. But I have to do it," Vaughn ran his fingers through his hair. At first, when he brought up the idea of going back to his father's house, he had thought that he was okay with the idea that one day he would become alpha. But now he wasn't so sure anymore. In the past month, he had tasted the kind of life that he wanted: a peaceful life on a farm, Mark in his bed, he and Mark loving each other. He reminded himself of the reason why he was doing this: Will is still out there, and he needs to become stronger, to protect Mark. "What kind of drink do we have?" He asked Mark absently.

Mark rummaged in the picnic basket, and handed Vaughn a flask filled with apple juice. "I think it's good that you are going back. You are the Silver Wolfe's heir, after all. You have responsibilities, you know".

"I know. I just don't like some aspects of it..." Vaughn responded, frowning a little. He took a big gulp of the apple juice from the flask. He wished that Mark hadn't reminded him of his birthright.

Mark gave Vaughn a curious look. "What don't you like about it?"

Vaughn shook his head. "Nothing. Nothing really..." He wasn't trying to shirk his responsibility, he had wanted to say. It's unfair, he thought. He had never asked for this, this so called "birthright". There was a growing resentment in his heart, towards who or what, he couldn't really say. Why do we call it a "right", he wondered. To him, it was more a burden, a bane, than an entitlement. You can choose not to exercise your right, but you always have to bear your burden, he thought. And what bothered him the most was the idea that as an heir, it was his responsibility to continue the Silver Wolf bloodline. It was something he had refused to do, and one of the reasons why he had left his father's house in the first place. He felt his head started to spin. I just want a quiet life with Mark, somewhere, he thought. Is that really too much to ask?

"Vaughn, you don't have to tell me anything. But you can, if you want to, you know that, right? I am here for you," Mark held his gaze steady.

"I know..." Vaughn said, his voice trailing.

Mark let the comfortable silence passed between them. He had learned that with Vaughn, silence wasn't always a bad thing. The wolf man just wasn't a chatty type.

"Mark, I think you should visit to the training compound for some element training sessions, what do you think? I think you need to become a stronger elemental," Vaughn finally broke the silence. He put down his flask, and reached for a hard-boiled egg.

"I guess..." Mark grumbled. He had finished his hard-boiled egg, and started to work on his sandwich.

"I know you don't like those training sessions. But I think it is very important. It will help me sleep a little better at night, if I know that you are stronger".

"Yeah, you are right..." Mark chewed thoughtfully. "I just can't seem to get any stronger. I can't seem to concentrate. You know, other kids and trainers at the compound, used to wonder why I was chosen to become your soul keeper, because I wasn't a strong elemental. Sometimes I wonder too..."

"Well, I am glad your are my soul keeper," Vaughn said as he started to peel his egg. "You know, I have never asked you how you feel about this," he said, keeping his eyes on his egg. "How do you feel about going back to my father's house?"

Mark was quiet for a couple of seconds, before he answered, "Well, to be honest, I was upset at first". He saw Vaughn's eyes widened with alarm. "No, no, listen to me. I said I _was_ upset at first. Because I feel like the farm was my home. But, then I realize that I can feel at home anywhere. After that, I feel much better". He smiled. "I feel good about it. Really". He met Vaughn's eyes. "Besides, I told you that I will follow you wherever you go, didn't I?" He added.

"And I would follow you to the end of the world, if I have to, master," Han leaned forward. He was sitting across Mark.

Mark ruffled Han's hair affectionately. "Actually, I prefer you wouldn't, Han. I think Shea will be very sad if you do that".

"Shea will follow Han. To the end of the world," Shea thumped his chest.

Mark sighed out loud. "Okay, first of all, no one is following anybody to the end of the world. Secondly, no one is going to the end of the world, in the first place". He glared at Han and Shea. "You two are just kids. Your job is to grow up, and live a normal life..." He stopped himself. He felt kind of silly saying that. What kind of normal life a soul keeper, a wolf man, a cat spirit, and a jungle boy could have, he wondered.

"But...but if Vaughn goes to the end of the world, you would follow him, right?" Han protested. "So why can't I follow you?"

"Because...er, because..." Mark stammered.

"Because," Shea responded, helpfully. "Mark is Vaughn's wife. And one day, Han will become Shea's wife. And Shea will follow Han to the end of the world. Wada said that is what husband and wife do".

"I am Vaughn's wife?" Mark looked at Shea with disbelief. "No, no, Shea. You don't understand. I am not Vaughn's wife. I am a man, I can't be a wife, you understand? And Han is a boy, he can't be a wife either. Only girls can be wives".

"Why not?" Han asked with a frown. "Why can't I be Shea's wife? Why only a girl can be Shea's wife?"

Shea wrinkled his forehead. He also didn't understand why a boy couldn't be a wife. Wada didn't mention that only girls could be wives. "Wada said husband and wife share a bed. You and Vaughn share a bed, so you and Vaughn are husband and wife," Shea tried to explain. The other day, he had grilled Wada about this husband and wife business, and he wanted to show off his new knowledge.

"Uh...er, well..." Mark was now turning red. He wasn't quite sure what to say to that. He elbowed Vaughn. "Help me out here..." He said, out of the side of his mouth.

Vaughn smirked. "You are right, Shea," he told the jungle boy. "Mark is my wife".

"That's not what I meant by help", Mark hissed. "And by the way..." He turned his head to look at Vaughn. "Why am I the wife? Why can't _I_ be the husband, and _you_ be the wife?"

Vaughn merely cocked his eyebrows, and gave Mark a look that said: really, are you serious?

"Oh, fine. Whatever," Mark shrugged.

Shea gave Mark a curious look. "Mark is the wife because Mark is the taker, right? Vaughn is the giver".

Mark's mouth was opened wide, and his eyes grew bigger. "What? What did you just say?" He asked, looking at the jungle boy. He thought that he might have heard it wrong.

Shea continued, "Wada said that wife is the taker, and husband is the giver". He was oblivious of how mortified Mark had looked. "In bed, the wife will take the husband's..." Mark's hand shot up to cover Shea's mouth, stopping the jungle boy abruptly.

"Okay, okay. You don't need to tell us..." Mark said, looking at Han nervously.

"What?" Han looked at Shea, and then at Mark. "What will the wife do in bed? Will take _what_ of the husband?"

"Uh...nothing. You are not old enough for that," Mark said.

"Come on. He is old enough. If you don't tell him, he will find out by himself, you know," Vaughn said. Mark glowered at him.

Han was deep in thought. "So, if Shea and I sleep in the same bed, we will be married?" He asked.

"Don't even think about it," Mark shot a sharp look at Han. "You are not old enough!"

Han pouted. "You have always said that. I am not a little kid, you know. I am old enough!"

"No, you are not!'

"Yes, I am!"

"No!"

"Yes!" Han stuck out his tongue.

Vaughn snorted. He threw his arm around Mark's shoulders, and pulled the blond closer. "You do sound like a mother, you know," he whispered in Mark's ear. "Wife..."

Mark's face was beet red. "Not in front of the kids!" He smacked Vaughn's head lightly. "Now be a good husband, and re-fill the steam wagon's water tank..."

* * *

><p>After traveling for the rest of the day, they had come across a small inn in a small town. They decided to stay overnight at that inn. They rented a room with two bunk beds for the night, much to Vaughn's chagrin, but it was the only room available in that inn.<p>

They had been sleeping soundly for a few hours when they were awakened by a commotion outside. Quickly, they all got up, dressed, and rushed out of the room. Outside, by the Inn's front yard, they saw a few people, two older men and an older woman, facing a ghost of a young woman. One of the older men looked like a ghost hunter. He was wearing a white headband across his forehead. Old runic and spells were written on the headband, for protection.

"There you are spirit! I am going to destroy you!" The ghost hunter said. He had taken out a seal, a black piece of paper with spells written in old runes on it, and slammed it firmly on the ghost's forehead. The ghost fell and screeched, thrashing around.

"Wait, wait!" Mark ran forward. He snatched the seal from the ghost's forehead. "What are you trying to do? This is a Death Seal! Are you trying to destroy this soul?" He frowned at the ghost hunter, holding up the seal in his fingers.

"Yes, I am! This ghost has been haunting this family for the past month. She is a menace!" The ghost hunter barked at Mark. "Get out of my way, boy!"

"Wait! It's a soul we are talking about here. A human soul! There must be another way!" Mark put up his hands. "Let me, let me talk to her..."

"What is the point of that? She is a malicious spirit. Didn't you hear what I said? She had been haunting this family for a month!"

Mark ignored the ghost hunter. He turned around and faced the ghost. "Hi. I am Mark and this is Vaughn. What's your name?"

The ghost shimmered for a second. "Song...my name is Song".

Mark sighed with relief. The ghost still remembered her name. It was a good sign. "That's a nice name. What are you doing here, Song? You shouldn't be here. You should have gone to your new home already".

"What is the point of this?" The ghost hunter protested.

"Shut up!" Vaughn growled, showing his fangs. He let his fangs grew a little longer to show that he meant business.

"I am waiting. For her...for Moon..." Song fidgeted.

"Who is Moon?"

"Is...is the ghost asking for my Moon? For my daughter?" the older woman cried out.

Mark glanced at the older woman. Then he turned his attention back to the ghost. "And why are you waiting for Moon?"

The ghost whispered, "I need to see Moon. I need to say goodbye".

"After you said your goodbye, would you promise that you would go to your new home? To The Other?"

"...Yes," the ghost said, after a moment of hesitation.

Mark turned to face the older woman. "This ghost, Song. She just wanted to see your daughter one last time, to say her goodbye. She had promised to leave after. Would you please let her see your daughter, Moon?"

"Not a chance! I don't care if she is dead or alive, she won't see my daughter," the other older man barked. "I didn't approve of their relationship then! And I don't approve it now! Song was a whore when she was alive!"

"Oh, for goddess' sake!" Mark's temper was rising. "Who cares what she was when she was alive. She is dead! She just wants to see your daughter one last time, and she will never come here again. What's the harm in that?"

"No!" The old man said. His face was red, and he was heaving.

"Come on! It will just take a few minutes of your daughter's time. Just a..."

"No!" Moon's father barked again.

"This is why we have to destroy the ghost. There is no other way!" The ghost hunter approached Mark and the ghost slowly.

"Don't be harsh! You are willing to destroy a human soul, just because some old farts refused a ghost to see his daughter one last time?" Mark was furious.

The ghost hunter suddenly produced a blade. "Step aside, boy!"

Vaughn stood between the ghost hunter and Mark. "Don't try anything funny," he growled. Shea stood beside him with his hunting knife drawn.

Mark ignored the ghost hunter. He let his eyes traveled over the Inn. There were seals on the windows and doors of the Inn, to repel ghosts. He wondered why he didn't notice them before. Then his eyes spotted a window on the second floor. Not only it had a seal on it, it was being shuttered tightly from the outside as well. He concentrated his will, and summoned his wind. The wind fluttered and circled, as it ripped the seal and the window shutters apart.

"Moon! Are you in there?" Mark called out. "Song is here to see you! Moon, could you hear me?"

A girl darkened the window that Mark had just unlocked. "Song!" She cried out. "Song, are you here?" Her eyes were unfocused as she stared at a distance, past the Inn courtyard. It took Mark a few seconds to realize that she was blind.

"I am here, Moon. Can you hear me?" The ghost reached her arms towards the girl in the window.

"Yes, I can hear your voice". Moon leaned out of the opened window. "I miss you..."

"I am here to say goodbye. For now. I just wanted to see you one last time. And to say that I...I love you..."

"What is that ghost saying?" The old woman asked with a sharp voice. "What is she saying to my daughter?" She asked Mark.

"She is just saying goodbye," Mark said. He omitted the "I love you" part, because he wasn't sure that the old woman wanted to hear that.

"I love you, too, Song. Remember your promise, that we will be together again one day," Moon said. "Don't...don't forget..."

Hearing her daughter, the old woman had grimaced, as if someone had slapped her in the face. She staggered. Her husband, the Inn keeper, caught her arm to steady her.

"I won't. I won't forget..." Song said.

"Could you please sing for me, Song? I want to remember your voice," Moon asked. "I have always loved your voice".

The ghost nodded, and started to sing, "In a place that won't let us feel..." Her voice was clear, but a little shaky. "In a life where nothing seems real. I have found you, I have found you..."

She has such a lovely voice, Mark thought. He felt the hair on the back of his neck standing.

"In a world that's moving too fast..." Song became more confident as she went on. Her voice took on a velvety quality, as if she was caressing the girl in the window with her voice. "In a world where nothing can last. I will hold you, I will hold you..."

Mark thought that he could almost see Song's heart grew incandescent. The girl ghost was almost translucent.

"Our lives will change when tomorrow comes. Tonight our hearts drown the distant drums..." The ghost sang, with all her might. "And we have music all right, tearing the night..."

In the distance, there was a shimmer of light, as dawn was approaching. In the pink light of the new day, Song seemed to glimmer, and glow. She was finally done singing. She kept her eyes at the girl in the window. "I am ready," she said to Mark, without looking at him.

Mark took a piece of white paper out of his pocket. It was a Passage Seal. He gently planted it on Song's forehead. "Goodbye, Song," he said as the ghost faded into thin air.

The old Inn keeper, Moon's father, barked, "You! All of you! I want you out of this Inn, now! And you better pay me for the damage you caused to my property!" His arms were around the old woman who was now sobbing.

Mark took out his money pouch, and swung it towards Moon's father, who caught it deftly. "Here. It should be enough to cover everything. We will be going now. Sorry about the window," Mark said. But there was no warmth in his voice, for he didn't feel sorry. In fact, he would do it all over again if he had to. A window shutter for a girl's soul? A small price to pay, he thought. He turned and walked away, followed by the rest of the group. It took them a few minutes to get ready, and boarded the steam wagon. The wagon traveled at a nice, comfortable speed, out of the Inn, and into the pink and purple sunrise.

End of Chapter 23


	24. Chapter 24: Road Map and Street Markers

Author's note: just want to say thanks to those who had reviewed, put this story on their fav/alert list, or been reading faithfully. You made my day. Seriously. ^.^ Alright, on to the next chapter...

Chapter 24: Road Map and Street Markers

They arrived at the Silver Wolfe's house in the early afternoon, to a warm welcome by a few of the servants. Vaughn's old nanny was also there, almost delirious with happiness. The servants helped them with the boxes, and luggage, and set them up in one of the guest houses. The Silver Wolfe's property was so vast, that it contained a large garden, huge main building, and few guest houses. As they approached the guest house, for some reasons, Mark's thoughts turned to the Great Wolf, Vaughn's father, and he felt a lurch in his stomach. What would he think, if and when, he found out that Vaughn and I are lovers, Mark wondered. Suddenly he wished that it would take more than two days travel to reach Vaughn's childhood home.

Haru was waiting for them at their new home. "Vaughn, Mark, welcome home," he smiled warmly, squeezing the boys' shoulder. "I thought you, young people, would be more comfortable here in the guest house, instead of living in the main house with us, old people," he let out a small chuckle. Then he eyed Han and Shea. "Ah, and these must be Han and Shea?"

"Yes, our spirit familiar, Han, and his friend, Shea. They will be living with us, if you don't mind," Mark introduced them.

Haru shook Han's hand, and then Shea's. "Of course I don't mind. I don't think the Great Wolf will mind either. I told you in my letter..." He stopped, as he noticed how Han was staring at him. He flashed a gentle smile at Han, which made the cat boy blushed, and looked away. "Well, I am sure that you would like to unpack, and rest from your journey, so I will take my leave. Please join us for dinner at seven. It is a special dinner to celebrate your home coming". Haru nodded at them, and started to walk towards the house.

"He...he is so...beautiful..." Han said, still mesmerized. He turned his head to follow Haru with his yellow cat eyes.

Shea glared at Han. "Don't stare," he told the cat boy, then he grumbled in his mother tongue.

Although Haru was in his forties already, he was still a very attractive man. His dark hair was short and neat, with a little silver gray around the temples, and he had inky dark eyes that seemed to pull you in. However, what really struck people when they met Haru for the first time, was probably the impression he gave, the way he carried himself, and the tone of his voice. There was something about Haru, which gave an impression of intelligence and quiet strength. And those qualities, more so than the physical ones, which made Haru seemingly so beautiful.

"Shea, you can take this room. Vaughn and I are going to take that room. Han, you can take this one," Mark said, pointing at the rooms. He looked around his new home. The house had a comfortable kitchen/living area, three bedrooms, and two baths. The kitchen/living area had a new-looking stove, fridge, ample kitchen cabinets, a kitchen table with four chairs, a book case pushed against one wall, a sofa, and a coffee table. The walls was painted the softest, buttery yellow making the house felt cheery.

Vaughn carried a couple of suitcases into his and Mark's room. "Mark, help me unpack".

"Okay," Mark said. He went into the bedroom with Vaughn. He was opening the suitcases, when he heard Vaughn locking the bedroom's door.

"We have our own bathroom. Let's shower together," Vaughn whispered in Mark's ears. He wrapped one of his arms around the blond, while the other retrieved a small bottle of clear liquid from the suitcase.

In the bathroom, while showering together, they started kissing and exploring each other. One thing led to another, they ended up making love furiously, as if they hadn't done it in a while, instead of just two days. I love you, Vaughn had whispered, as he moved inside Mark. I need you, Mark had moaned back, as he felt Vaughn filling him up. After the shower, Vaughn had wanted a second round on their new bed, but unfortunately they didn't make it to the bed. They had done it on the bedroom floor instead, on top of damp towels.

"I need to shower again," Mark said, panting. He was exhausted. But as he collapsed on the damp towels, on his stomach, he finally understood why people had sex on the floor. He was so caught up with Vaughn's scent, his body heat, his taste...especially his scent, so sweet, and ever so intoxicating, Mark couldn't get enough. He was so caught up; he didn't even realize that they were doing it on the floor. Until there was one clear, fleeting moment, when it dawned to him that they were, indeed, on the floor. But by that time, he was drowning in the sublime sensation that was Vaughn, that he just didn't give a damn.

"Yeah, me too," Vaughn said, sweating and breathing hard. He lay on his side on the floor, letting his eyes traveled lazily all over Mark. When they started to sleep together, he had loved what he had thought as Mark's most attractive physical characteristics: his pale skin, and his green eyes. He still loved them, but recently, he found himself being more obsessed with what one might think as Mark's imperfections: the way his unruly hair always stuck out no matter what had been done to it, the small birth mark on his left inner thigh, the thin, slight scar above his right eyebrow, almost invisible unless you looked closely. To Vaughn, these so called "imperfections", had become a road map for his memories.

The second time they made love, after he blurted out that he loved Mark for the first time, that had led to the discovery of the birth mark. He was too nervous, and was too much in a hurry, during the first time they joined their bodies together, that he had missed it. Whenever he recalled their kisses, Vaughn would recall the texture of Mark's hair, as he would often bury his hand in that shock of blond hair when they kiss. And one month after they had met for the second time, when they were both seventeen, he had asked Mark about the scar. They were drinking in his bedroom, getting quite drunk, and were leaning on each other, talking, telling stories. Mark had told him how he had gotten that scar: he had accidentally hit himself with a sharp rock when he tried to summon his wind for the first time. The rock had cut him deeply, and the wound had required five stitches to close. After Mark told him about the scar, he had told Mark about how, from time to time, he still missed his mother who passed away when he was twelve. Mark had listened quietly, and then, for some reasons, had put his arm around Vaughn, and told him that they would be best buds forever...

Road map and street markers, Vaughn thought. "Hey, Mark," he whispered, in the blond's ear. "Can you wear your kitty ears tonight?"

Mark twitched. "Stop being so perverted!" He turned and lay on his side, glaring at Vaughn.

"Oh, come on. If I can't be perverted with you, who can I be perverted with?" Vaughn sulked, wrinkling his forehead.

You, horny, silly wolf man, Mark thought. He let his eyes lingered on Vaughn's face. Why do I love you more each day, he wondered. How is that even possible? He sighed. "Okay. Fine. I will wear the ears tonight".

"Promise?" Vaughn's finger traced the Goddess' mark, shaped like a lotus flower, on the blond's left collarbone.

"Yes, I promise, you horny bastard," Mark said, laughing a little. Then he turned serious, and cupped Vaughn's face in his hands. "I love you," he whispered, as he moved his face closer to the wolf man to kiss him. For awhile they were happy to lie on the floor, snuggling, kissing and touching each other, pretending that there was no world existed, on the other side of the bedroom door.

"Vaughn..." Mark started, breaking the kiss.

"Yeah?" Vaughn planted light kisses on Mark's cheeks and eyelids.

"What will happen...if your dad finds out about us...?"

Vaughn was silent for a second or two. He didn't really want to think about that. "We'll deal with it when the time comes".

"Yeah, when the time comes..." Mark said. He didn't want to, but he broke their embrace and got up, saying "I think we should shower, unpack, and get ready for dinner..."

Dinner was served in the great room, the same room where Mark and Vaughn first met as children. The walls were still white washed, and decorated with a few scrolls and paintings. The tatami mats lining the floor looked new. There was a long, low table set up in the middle of the room. The Great wolf sat, cross-legged, on one end of the table, while Haru knelt on a pillow on the other end. The Great Wolf's secretary, a bespectacled wolf man by the name of Toru, or the Copper Wolf, and his soul keeper was there as well.

"Mark," Haru said, during dinner. "If you like, we can set up a garden plot for you comes spring. If you would like to do some planting..." He smiled as he saw how Mark's eyes lit up. "More tea?"

"Yes, thank you. Can I really have some garden plots? I was hoping to plant some potatoes and strawberries. Maybe even some cucumbers, turnips and cabbage. Do you like vegetables, Haru?"

"Yes I do, and yes, you can. I am looking forward to eat your vegetables. I am sure they will taste better than what we can get from the market".

"I will make you my cucumber salad and pickled turnips. They are delicious! And wait until you try my strawberry jam," Mark rubbed his hands together. He was now looking forward to spring. Suddenly leaving the farm, and moving into the Silver Wolfe's house didn't seem so daunting.

"I like vegetables, too," Toru said, pushing his glasses up his nose. "You can send some pickled turnips my way".

"Sure, will do," Mark said. He shot a mischievous grin at Vaughn. "At least some people are looking forward to eat my veggies," he said. Vaughn responded with a scowl.

"What are you planning to do now that you are back, son?" The Great Wolf Gareth asked.

"I would like to help you, father, and if you don't mind, I would like for Mark and I to join the Iron Wolf's army pack again. I feel that I have a lot to learn about the clan".

Gareth nodded, looking pleased with that answer. "Good. I like that. By the way, have you met any..." He stopped as he saw the look that Haru gave him.

"That discussion can wait until another time, Great Wolf," Haru said. "Tonight, we are celebrating Vaughn and Mark's home coming".

"Of course". The Great Wolf frowned, but he didn't say anything further.

"Um...can we plant an apple tree as well?" Han asked. "Because, I like apples".

"We do have an apple tree in the garden already, Han," Haru responded. "If you and Shea have time tomorrow, I can take you two for a tour around the garden. We have many fruit trees in the garden".

"I like that! That sounds fun, right, Shea?"

"Sure," Shea said, but he didn't look as if he was getting excited about the garden tour.

Haru eyed Shea curiously. "Shea, if you don't mind me asking," he said. "What did your family think about you coming here with Vaughn and Mark?"

"Wada said it is okay," Shea answered brusquely. He was still feeling a little slighted by Haru, for being so beautiful, so beguiling, that Han had seemed to be so mesmerized.

"Wada is his foster father," Mark explained. "He visits Shea from time to time to check on him".

"Where are your parents, Shea?" Haru asked.

"I don't know," Shea frowned, wondering why Haru was insistent in talking to him. "Wada said he found me in the woods. When I was a baby. Wada said he took me in".

"Wada sounds like a very nice person".

"Yes, he is," there was a small smile forming at the corner of Shea's mouth. Talking about Wada always gave him a warm feeling in his stomach. "I am lucky to have Wada," he added. "He is strong and brave".

"And I am sure he feels lucky to have found you that day in the woods. I am sure he feels lucky to have a foster son, like you," Haru responded.

"You think so?" Shea asked. "I try to be brave. I try to be strong. Like Wada". But then his face fell. "But I am still not strong enough. Not brave enough".

"Oh, but I think you are," Haru said. "It takes strength and courage to leave behind what is familiar, and to follow the people you love". He smiled at the jungle boy. "Right? You chose to follow your friends. That is very brave and strong of you, Shea".

"Ah..." Shea said, raising his face, meeting Haru's eyes. He had never thought of it that way. "I follow to protect Han," he said, glancing at the cat boy. "I want to keep him safe".

"I thought so," Haru said, nodding. "I was right. You have a heart of a warrior, Shea. Your friends and Wada are lucky to have you. I am sure Wada is very proud of you".

A heart of a warrior, Shea thought. He liked the sound of that. It made him to want to be a better man. He still didn't like Haru very much, but he started to think that Haru might not be as bad as he thought before. He gave the older man a second glance.

"And one day we are going to be married," Han said, with a serious expression. Then looking at Mark's face, he added quickly, "When I am old enough..."

There were chuckles and smiles all around the table.

"You know, for some reasons, I always feel better after I talked to you. So is everyone else it seemed," Mark leaned slightly towards Haru. There was a quizzical look on his face. "Is heart your element?"

"Yes, it is. Not a very useful one I was told, but I am glad that it is my element. I am glad that I can make you feel better, even if only for a little while".

"It's a very useful element, Haru. I remember how you consoled me after my mother passed away," Vaughn said, quietly. "Don't let anyone tell you otherwise".

Haru bowed his head a little. "I am honored, to be there for you in your time of need, Silver Wolf".

"It's the rarest of all elements," Toru said, smiling at Haru. "We are lucky to have you, Haru".

"Thank you, Copper Wolf," Haru said. "You are too kind".

The dinner went on with a light conversation, mostly between Han, Mark, Haru and Shea. Vaughn, his father and Toru were content with just listening since they were not the talking type. After dinner, Vaughn had excused himself and Mark, saying that they were still tired from the journey, and that they wanted an early morning start tomorrow.

They went straight to the bedroom when they got home. Vaughn locked the bedroom door, and looked at Mark eagerly. Mark saw his face, and knew instantly what the wolf man was thinking. He sighed, as he pulled his kitty ears hairband, the one that the Witch Princess gave him, out of a drawer. He was about to put it on when Vaughn stopped him.

"Wait, wait..." Vaughn said. "Take off your clothes". He rushed towards another drawer and rummaged for a long, white ribbon. He had purchased the ribbon before they left the old farm.

Mark stripped and sat on the bed, resigned to his fate. Vaughn sat beside him, and started to kiss him. He teased Mark's nipples between his fingers, while letting his tongue to roam inside the blond's mouth. At once, Mark felt as if his body temperature had shot up hundreds of degrees, and his heart was beating hard when they broke the kiss. Vaughn quickly wrapped the ribbon around Mark's throat a couple of times, and tied a bow. Then he took the kitty ears, and slowly slid it on his soul keeper's head. He stood, and took a couple of steps away from the bed to admire his handiwork. Yeah, that's it, he thought, as he drank in the details: the cat ears, those eyes, the blushing face, the ribbon trailing down the pale torso with rosebud nipples, leading all the way to the semi-erect member. His crimson eyes darkened, as he pulled his own shirt over his head, as he climbed back up onto the bed.

"Sorry, Mark," Vaughn said, his voice husky. He pulled the blond roughly under him. "I was planning to do you nice and easy, but I changed my mind..." He licked his lips. "I am going to fuck you dirty and hard instead..."

In the other room, Shea laid on his bed, frowning. He thought he had heard Vaughn howling. But he quickly dismissed the thought. He must had heard it wrong, he thought, as it was not a full moon night.

* * *

><p>The next morning, after breakfast, Vaughn and Mark had reported to the Iron Wolf's training den. The Iron Wolf had waited for them when they arrived. There were about a dozen wolves and their soul keepers already there.<p>

"Vaughn, so you did return. I couldn't believe it when Chen told me," Iron Wolf shook Vaughn's hand.

"Alistair, thank you again for everything you have done for us," Vaughn said. "You remember Mark, my soul keeper?"

"Yes, of course. Nice to see you again, Mark," Alistair put his beefy hand on Mark's shoulder. The Iron Wolf towered over Mark. He was even taller than Vaughn, who was pretty tall himself, and was much more powerfully built. He had dark skin, with short, salt and pepper hair, and yellow eyes. He wasn't someone you would call handsome. Rugged, would be a better word.

"I understand that you decided to join my pack," Alistair turned his attention back to Vaughn.

"Yes".

"Okay, then let me see what you can do," Alistair gestured them to follow him. Then he put them through some warm-up training with his own wolves. After the warm-up, he asked Mark to show what he could do, and put Vaughn through a wolf-to-wolf sparring session.

"Well, well," Alistair stroked his beard. "Vaughn, you are not bad, but you are a little rusty. While you, Mark, you definitely need a lot more training," he said to the blond who was, of course, turning scarlet. "I will schedule some training sessions for you in the soul keeper compound. I don't know how to train a soul keeper, so you will need to go back there for training," he said sternly.

"Uh, okay," Mark said weakly. For the umpteenth time he wanted to kick himself in the ass, for not paying more attention when he was in school. On top of that he was tired, for he didn't get a lot of sleep last night, and his butt was kind of sore. He shot Vaughn an accusing look, but the wolf man pretended not to see it.

"Alright, everyone, let's break for lunch!" Alistair boomed.

"Are you still thinking about it?" Chen asked as he sat beside Alistair during lunch.

"Yeah," Alistair said, stroking his beard again. He had a habit of doing that whenever he was thinking. "I am not comfortable in keeping secret from the Great Wolf. It just feels wrong to me".

"You will complicate things, my friend. You may be punished," Chen turned his head aside to gaze at his wolf. There was a worried wrinkle on Chen's smooth forehead.

"I know," Alistair sighed. "But it is something I have to do".

Chen was quiet for a moment. Then he said, "I understand. I will support you in any decision you make. And I will be with you when you speak to the Great Wolf, if that's what you have decided to do".

"Maybe you shouldn't," Alistair glanced at his soul keeper. "I won't mention your involvement. I don't know how the Great Wolf will react. You and your family may be in danger".

"What about _you_ and _your_ family?" Chen peered closely at Alistair, waiting for an answer. When Alistair didn't respond, he continued, "How many years have we been friends, Al? Twelve? Fifteen years? You know I will not let you do this alone. We are in this together, you and I".

Alistair nodded. "Thank you. It means a lot to me".

"Friends until the end, right?" Chen said, not looking at Alistair. His dark eyes were scanning the gray winter sky instead, as if looking for a sign.

"Friends. Until the bitter end," Alistair agreed, casting his eyes down at his big hands.

* * *

><p>"I wish I had paid more attention to training when I was a student at the compound," Mark said to Haru. It was almost the end of winter, and Mark had made a habit of having tea with Haru almost everyday. Most of the time they would have their tea indoor. However, since it was a very warm late afternoon, they were sitting in the Garden that day, in Haru's favorite spot, enjoying a body-warming, soul-pleasing, hot tea.<p>

"Well, you can always catch up with your training, now that you are here," Haru smiled at the blond. He brought his tea cup to his nose, and breathed deeply. He had been trying to get Mark to drink a variety of teas, and for today, he had selected an orange scented black tea. The smell of orange reminded him of lazy, summer days, of warm, green meadows and cool shadows under the trees.

"I know..." Mark said. "It's just that...I just feel like I am coming up short, you know? Vaughn is very good in everything he does. And I am...not. I just feel like I don't deserve him or something. I want to be better, but I can't seem to get stronger..." Mark was lost in his thoughts. He sipped his tea mechanically, not even tasting it. "Some days, I feel that Vaughn would be better off with a stronger soul keeper. I mean, he is beta wolf, he is next in line. Don't you think he deserve a stronger soul keeper?" He asked with a small voice.

"There are other ways to be strong," Haru said. "Not just in terms of combat skills. I have the feeling that Vaughn is happy to have you". He looked at Mark closely. He hesitated. He didn't want to pry, but then he decided to ask anyway. "You two love each other, don't you? You are lovers, aren't you?"

Mark felt his face started to burn. "Is it obvious?" He asked.

Haru nodded. "To me, it is. I don't know about anyone else," he smiled.

"Yeah..." Mark said, his voice trailing. He looked as if he was still bothered by something.

"Believe me, my dear, being happy with who you are with, is more important than all the combat skills in the world. Especially, when you are bound for life". Haru tilted his head towards Mark. "I believe Vaughn knows that".

"It's just that everyone in the compound is wondering why I am the Silver Wolf's soul keeper. I think they secretly think that Vaughn deserves a stronger elemental. I am pretty useless..."

"Well, people in the compound thought that I was pretty useless too," Haru let out a small chuckle. "Actually, I was supposed to be Toru's soul keeper, but one day, for some reasons, Gareth requested me to become his soul keeper. So I think, like Gareth, Vaughn understood that there are other ways to be strong. You have value, Mark. You are not useless. Everyone has something to offer. We can all do something, big and small. No one is worthless, remember that, okay?"

"I'll try to remember that," Mark said.

"Good. Now..." Haru rested his chin on his hand, elbow resting on the table. "...What's really bothering you, Mark?"

"I..." Mark's mouth opened and closed. "The Great Wolf told me once that Vaughn will have to marry and have children one day. He said it's the only way the silver wolf bloodline will continue..."

"Ah...I see," Haru said, topping Mark's tea cup. "Well, my dear, I think it will be totally up to Vaughn. Knowing Silver Wolf, no one, not even the Great Wolf himself, can force him to do anything..." He paused. "...I won't worry about it, if I am you. I seem to recall that Vaughn doesn't have any intention to do anything like that".

"I was wondering..." Mark stared at his tea. "What did you...what did you do when Gareth married Vaughn's mother?" He raised his eyes to meet Haru's.

"Well..." Haru sighed. "...I was young, and I wanted to believe in love. Gareth told me that he wanted to do it, and I didn't protest. I kept my mouth shut. I kept my distance. I kept all my feelings inside, and I didn't let him know how I feel. I was afraid that I was going to loose him completely, if I have said anything. Was that the right thing to do? I don't know. If I did something differently, would the outcome be different? I don't know. But then Vaughn would not have been born. And that, would be a tragedy, wouldn't it?" His smile was teasing Mark.

"Yeah, I guess," Mark said, sheepishly. He was quiet for a moment. Then he said, "Why do people fall in love, Haru? It seems to me that it is better if we don't. Then we won't get hurt..." His eyes stared at a distance.

"Many different reasons, Mark. Maybe because we need to belong. Maybe because our heart is a bottomless hope, and love seems like a promise for a better tomorrow. Or maybe..." Haru's hand rested gently on Mark's arm, causing the blond to lock eyes with him. "Maybe it just happens. No reason. Your heart latches on one thing, one person, and you can't help, but to be swept along. There is nothing wrong with that". He removed his hand. "...I am sorry. I wish I can tell you why. I wish I can give you a word of wisdom. But the truth is, it's still a mystery for most of us". He sipped his tea. "Even for people as old as I am..."

Mark chuckled. "You are not that old, are you? You are what, thirty-five?"

Haru laughed. "Try forty-five, my dear boy..." When he saw Mark's eyes widened, he laughed even louder. Spring is almost here, he thought. And my boys are sound and safe...

End of Chapter 24


	25. Chapter 25: The Price of Our Happiness

Author's note: I have to revise this chapter to take out Toru's interaction with Haru. I did have a plan for him, but after reading my notes and thinking some more about it, I have decided that Toru's subplot was a little overreaching. His interactions with Haru was supposed to lead to that subplot, so I have deleted them. Toru will be relegated to a minor character, not involved in any sub plot. Sorry about that. I am a new writer, so I am allowed stupid mistake like this, right? Thanks for being understanding.

Chapter 25: The Price of Our Happiness

"No more, please..." Mark was sprawled on the bed, on his back. He was breathing rapidly, in short gasps. His skin glistened with sweat. "I am not a wolf man. I don't have your stamina..."

"Happy birthday," Vaughn whispered. He was lying on top of Mark with a smug smirk on his face.

"I know that I am the birthday boy, but why do I have the feeling that you are the one who is getting a present?" Mark asked the bedroom ceiling. By "present", he meant the cat ears he was wearing on his head, and the white ribbon knotted into a bow at his throat.

"Well, you did promise the Witch Princess that you would wear the kitty ears for our birthdays, right?" Vaughn raised his head.

"Hmph..." Mark huffed. He _did_ promise, unfortunately.

"I have something for you," Vaughn said. He rolled off Mark to his side of the bed. His hand went into the drawer of the side table nearby him. "Come on, sit up".

Mark pushed himself up gingerly, to a sitting position. He felt a little weak all over. He and Vaughn had been holing up in their room for the whole afternoon to celebrate his twentieth birthday. Vaughn knelt behind Mark, slowly lowering a necklace in front of the birthday boy. The necklace had a small, rectangular silver pendant, hanging by the short side from a leather string. A six-petal lily flower was embossed on the pendant. Mark held his breath when he saw the necklace. He was actually surprised that Vaughn had gotten him such a nice gift. He took the silver pendant in his hand to inspect it closer, and he thought that it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. Vaughn quickly tied the leather string behind Mark's neck.

"Do you like it?" Vaughn wrapped his arms around Mark's waist, his chin resting on his soul keeper's shoulder.

"I...I do. Thank you," Mark said. He was happy, but there was a touch of panic rising in him, as he realized that he would have to come up with a nice gift for Vaughn's birthday as well, which would be coming in a week. He was planning to bake a cake and make some porridge, Vaughn's favorite, as a gift. But now he felt that food, even if it was homemade, might not be special enough.

"You don't need to get me anything for my birthday," Vaughn said, as if he could read Mark's mind. "All I want for my birthday is you, naked, on the bed, wearing your kitty ears, and all tied up with ribbons as my present," he whispered in the blond's ear.

It was fortunate that Mark couldn't turn any redder hearing that, since his face was still flushed from all the sex they had been having that afternoon. "Okay. Fine," he said, trying to sound dignified, frowning a little. Then he was lost in a thought.

"You know, you are a little bit distracted today. Why?" Vaughn turned Mark around.

"Uh...nothing. Sorry, sorry about that..."

Vaughn waited. He had a feeling that Mark was about to spill his guts even without his prodding.

"Oh, okay, okay. It's that dream again. I had that dream with the little girl again last night".

"Why didn't you wake me up? Didn't I tell you to wake me up whenever you had that nightmare?" Vaughn knitted his silvery eyebrows.

"Yes, you did. But you were sleeping so soundly, I didn't want to wake you up. Besides, it's just a dream, right?" Mark threw his arms around Vaughn's neck. He smiled as he brought his face close to the wolf man, his nose brushing Vaughn's nose lightly.

"Damn. You are just too damn cute!" Vaughn said, as he lunged at Mark, pinning him down on the bed once more...

When they finally arrived in the main house's great room for Mark's birthday dinner, they found that everyone else was already there: Shea, Han, Haru, Gareth, and Toru. All were sitting or kneeling on the floor, or on the pillows on the floor, around the low, long wooden table. "Happy birthday, Mark!" everyone was talking at the same time.

"Thank you, thank you..." Mark said, as he knelt down on the floor, beside Toru. "Sorry for being late". His face was burning. Vaughn didn't say anything, and his face was unreadable, as he crossed his legs, sitting between Mark and Gareth.

"Don't worry, you two are not that late," Haru said.

"Mark, we caught a big fish for you today," Han said excitedly. He leaned slightly across the table towards Mark, both of his elbows resting on the table. "We found a very good fishing spot, and caught a really big one. Haru told us to give it to the cook, so we can have it for dinner..."

"Sounds good," Mark responded, gulping his tea. He was very thirsty. "I am starving..."

In the middle of dinner, a servant approached the Great Wolf, and told him that the Iron Wolf and his soul keeper, had requested to see him. Gareth had nodded, and asked the servant to show them in. The servant bowed his head in response, and scooted away. A few minutes later, the Iron Wolf, Alistair, and his soul keeper, Chen, entered the room. They knelt on the floor, by the Great Wolf, who was sitting cross-legged.

"I apologize for interrupting your dinner, Great Wolf," Alistair addressed Gareth. His head was slightly bowed, his hands rested respectfully on his lap, and he kept his eyes on the floor. "But there is something I need to discuss with you".

"Go on..." The Great Wolf sipped his tea.

Alistair kept his eyes on the floor. "I have committed an offense against you, Great Wolf. Without your consent, I have struck down the Golden Wolf's pack". He flicked his eyes towards Haru. "The Golden Wolf was plotting a treason against you, Gareth, and he was trying to kill your son".

Gareth didn't say anything for a few seconds as he processed what Alistair just told him. Then he narrowed his eyes at Alistair. "First of all, Iron Wolf, that is a grave accusation against the Golden Wolf. Secondly, to go behind my back, and attack another wolf in _my_ clan, can be considered a treason..." His voice was cold, and dangerous.

"Great Wolf," Haru said. "It was my idea. I was the one who convinced Alistair to strike the Golden Wolf".

"Why would you do that, Haru?" Gareth looked at his soul keeper with disbelief.

"Because, Gareth. It's true that the Golden Wolf is planning a coup against you. And he did try to hurt your son. I thought we should strike him before he did any harm..."

"You are a soul keeper, and you made a decision to attack my wolf without consulting me?" Gareth frowned. He raised his voice. "Am I not alpha? Why didn't you come to me?"

Haru sighed. "Because I didn't think you would believe me. And if we have waited, it would be too late for Vaughn and Mark".

"It's true, father," Vaughn interceded, with a low voice. "Will did try to kill me. He wanted revenge, he told me so. He said he was going to take over the clan, and wipe out our family".

"Even so!" Gareth spat. "You should have come to me, and asked for my blessing, before you decided to attack my wolves!" His eyes was full of disapproval as he looked from Alistair to Haru.

"Father, please..." Vaughn started.

"Enough, Silver Wolf!" Gareth rebuffed his son. "You should have known better Haru, Al. This is a grave offense against alpha, and I can banish or...sentence you to death for this".

There were gasps and murmurs around the room.

"Please, Gareth..." Haru pleaded. "It was all my idea, my plan. Al and Chen didn't want to do it at first, but I convinced them, and I asked them not to tell you as well. If you want to punish someone, punish me. But leave them alone".

"Is that so?" Gareth frowned at Haru. "Well, then so be it, soul keeper. You will be punished".

"Father, no! You can't do this! I owe Haru, my and Mark's life. You can't...you can't banish Haru or sentence him to death," Vaughn was appalled. My goddess, this is a disaster, he thought. How did it turn out this way?

"I am not blameless, Great Wolf. I did agree with Haru, that Will was trying to harm you and your son, and I convinced Alistair to attack him," Chen said.

"Very well, Chen. You can join Haru in his punishment," Gareth said, without hesitation.

"No, Great Wolf..." Alistair was shocked. "But it's not fair! Chen didn't..."

Gareth shot Alistair a sharp look which shut him up.

"Gareth, please, leave Chen out of this. It was me..." Haru started.

"Enough!" Gareth's voice boomed. Both of his hands slammed the table, hard. His face was turning red, and his body tensed, as he leaned forward, as if he was ready to spring and rip someone's throat out.

"Great Wolf, let's not be too hasty," Toru said. He raised both of his hands in a calming gesture. "We need to discuss this. As we can see, there is a good reason for..."

"Don't defend them, Copper Wolf!" Gareth snapped at him. As he spoke, you could see that his fangs had grown a little larger, a little sharper. "Especially you Toru, you know the rules of our clan better than anyone else!" He took a deep breath, and try to relax his muscle. "I suppose it's partly my fault. I have been very lenient to soul keepers. Too lenient..." He said with a calmer voice. Then an idea formed in his head. He looked at Vaughn pointedly. "If you do want to save Haru, son, if you do owe him, then there is something you can do".

"What is it?" Vaughn said. "I'll do anything".

"I would like to engage a matchmaker for you, to help you find a wife. If you are willing to meet with the candidates that the matchmaker presents you, and choose a girl to be your wife, then I will reduce Haru's and Chen's sentence from death to….twenty lashes instead".

"What? No!" Vaughn barked. "Ask me for anything else but that! I will not agree to that!"

"Yes, you will," Mark said. His voice was shaking. He was kneeling on the floor, with his eyes cast down, and both of his hands clenched into white-knuckled fists. "You heard what your father said. Haru and Chen will die, if you don't do it". He rose abruptly, and bowed towards Haru. "I am sorry! I am so sorry, to cause you so much trouble!" He cried out. Then he sprinted out of the room.

"Mark! Wait!" Vaughn jumped up, and ran to catch up with Mark. After a moment of hesitation, both Shea and Han followed suit, and rushed after Vaughn.

Haru stared at Gareth with wide eyes. "How could you do this? To your own son! Punish me if you want, but don't drag your son into this!" His face was pale.

"It will be Vaughn's decision, and not yours, Haru," Gareth refused to meet Haru's eyes. "You and Chen will be made an example for other soul keepers who think that they can make decisions for the clan," Finally he raised his eyes to meet Haru's. "In the meanwhile, you will be confined to your living quarter, soul keeper, until your fate is decided".

Haru rose, and left the room quickly without saying anything.

"Mark!" Vaughn burst into the bedroom. He slammed the door shut and locked it, locking out Shea and Han. "Listen to me. There must be another way".

"No, you heard your father..." Mark was sitting on the bed. His shoulders slumped. "We...we...can't let them die". He raised his face. He looked as if he was going to cry. "They saved you! If the Iron Wolf wasn't there, who knew what Will would do to you!"

"Why...why are you saying this?" Vaughn felt as if the floor moved under him. He couldn't believe what he had heard. "You...you want me to marry someone else?" He approached the bed, and sat beside Mark. "But I thought you love me!"

"I do! But we can't...Haru..." Mark sighed as he covered his eyes with his hands. "I don't know what to do..."

Rage was rising in Vaughn's chest. "You said you love me! We love each other, remember?" He was seeing red, and before he realized what he was doing, he pushed Mark on the bed, and tried to tear his shirt off.

"Wait! What are you doing?" Mark struggled. "Stop...! Not now!"

"I don't want anyone else, but you!" Vaughn ripped Mark's shirt opened, and moved to undo his belt. "You said you love me! Now you are trying to push me away! Again!" You are mine, furry screamed in his mind. I won't let you run away from me like this!

"Vaughn, no! I am serious! Stop!" Mark screamed. "STOP!"

Vaughn jerked his head backward. It was as if someone had doused him with a bucket of cold water. "What...what am I...?" Sickening bile churned in his stomach, as he realized what he was about to do. He got off Mark. "So...sorry..." He stammered. He didn't know what else to do, so he bolted out of the bedroom as fast as he could.

Shea and Han burst into the room finding Mark lying on the bed with his knees drawn to his chest, crying.

"Master, master..." Han said as he rushed towards the bed. "Please don't cry..." His lips trembled. He looked as if he was about to cry as well. He caressed Mark's hair. "Please don't cry..."

"I don't know what to do..." Mark sobbed, still curled in the fetal position, covering his face with his hands. "I love him, but I can't let them die..."

Without any warning, a shining portal opened in the middle of the bedroom. A beautiful woman with a blonde hair, followed by a girl around Mark's age, stepped out of the portal. The girl had a short, pixie-cut, fiery hair, and slanted green eyes.

"Hi, Mark! Are you surprised...?" The Witch Princess stopped. The expression on her face changed, as she saw that the blond was crying on the bed. "What...what happened?" She approached Mark quickly.

"Prin...Princess?" Mark sat up. "Hanna?" The red-haired girl smiled at him. Hanna was a ghost, whom Mark had met through Denny, his friend back on the island.

"What happened?" The Witch sat beside Mark on the bed, staring at his wet face.

"It's...it's Vaughn. He is angry at me," Mark said, rubbing his eyes and face fiercely. "I asked him to do something he didn't want to do. But..but, two people will die if he doesn't do it..." His chest was hurting, and his head was aching from the crying fit. Why did I let myself believe, for a brief moment, that our happiness is possible? He wondered. That it has no price? That I deserve it? Haru and Chen don't deserve this, after all that they had done, Mark told himself. They shouldn't pay for our happiness with their lives...

For a moment, the Witch Princess didn't say anything. She let Mark gathered himself in silence. Then she said, "I am so sorry to hear that, Mark". Her voice was gentle. She patted his arm briefly. "But brace yourself. You are not a child anymore. You are a grown man. No more crying. The Goddess needs you".

"What?" Mark was still in the daze. He didn't quite catch what the Witch Princess had said.

"The Goddess needs you. You need to go to her. Now". She eyed Mark's torn clothing. "Actually, you need to change your shirt first, and then go to the Goddess". She stood, and rummaged in the dresser until she found a shirt that looked like it would fit. "Here," she handed the shirt to Mark. While Mark was changing his shirt, the Witch Princess grabbed a backpack which was lying on the floor nearby the dresser, and started to fill it with random clothing items. Then she went to the bathroom to snatch a toothbrush, and stuffed it in the bag. "Here, you will need this too," she placed the backpack by Mark.

Mark looked at the pack with a sinking heart, and said, "How...how long am I going to be gone?"

The Witch Princess shrugged. "I am not quite sure. Where are your kitty ears?"

"It's...it's in the drawer...over there".

The Witch Princess fetched the kitty ears that she had given Mark as a farewell gift. "Come on, off you go," she steered Mark towards the portal. "Be careful, Mark. Remember what I told you". She looked at the boy in the eyes, as she pressed the kitty ears hairband into Mark's hand, and handed him the backpack. "Please, be careful".

"Come, Mark," Hanna beckoned with her finger. "Follow me," she said, as she stepped through the portal. Mark nodded numbly. He slung the pack over one shoulder, and tailed after the ghost.

"Wait, I am coming with you!" Han said. He was about to rush towards the portal, when the Witch Princess put her hand on his shoulder to stop him.

"Only Mark has the Goddess' mark. He is the only one who can enter The Other while still alive. Besides, this is his fight, not yours. And I don't want any of you to get in trouble for breaking the rules. So this time, you will stay here, kiddo," the Witch said.

"No," Han said stubbornly. He started towards the portal. Shea followed closely behind.

The Witch Princess frowned, and raised her hand. "I said, stay". With that, Han and Shea found that suddenly, they were unable to move. They could only watch helplessly, as the portal shrunk to close, and the Witch Princess melted into thin air.

* * *

><p>Haru was in deep thought, sitting down with his head in his hands, when he heard someone knocked at the door of his living quarter. He looked up, breaking his own train of thoughts. "Come in. The door is unlocked," he said with a tired voice.<p>

Vaughn opened the door, entered the room, and closed the door behind him softly. "I was told I will find you here..." He said.

"Have a seat, Vaughn," Haru said, gesturing at a chair, across the small table from him. He shook his head sadly. "I am sorry. I didn't think it will turn out this way. I have miscalculated. This is all my fault".

Vaughn slumped into the chair. "What am I going to do, Haru? I want to help you, I really do. I owe you for saving Mark. Will would have done terrible things to him, if the Iron Wolf didn't show up. I am truly grateful. But...but I can't..." He sighed. He kneaded his forehead. "And...and then...I, I was so angry. I...I tried to assault him". He got up, and started to pace around the room.

Haru's eyes widened. "You did what?" There was fear in his voice.

Vaughn glanced at Haru. "I stopped. I stopped in time". His voice shook a little. "Thank goddess".

"Good, good. I was afraid for a second..." Haru breathed a sigh of relief. He trained his eyes at Vaughn. His face was serious. "Never cross that line, Vaughn. Did you hear me? There is no going back if you do. You will lose him forever if you do that, do you understand?"

Vaughn raked his fingers through his hair, "I know...I know". He stopped pacing around the room, and sat back on the chair. "But it doesn't matter, I don't think he loves me...Well, not as much as I love him. I thought he did. He told me he did".

"Mark loves you," Haru said. "I can tell. From the way he looked at you, or talked about you..." He added, softly.

Vaughn's crimson eyes flashed. "If he loves me, then he wouldn't tell me to marry someone else," he growled. "I could never tell someone I love to get married to someone else!" Then he realized something. "Of course, Haru. I didn't mean that I will let you, or Chen, suffer. I will help you. I just...I...I just...I feel like by telling me this, he is trying to run away from me, that he is...rejecting me". His voice trailed into a whisper.

Haru sighed. "I understand your feelings, Vaughn. I really do. But, please understand Mark's point of view as well. I believe he thinks he is doing the right thing. It doesn't mean that he doesn't love you, or is rejecting you. He just doesn't want anything to happen to us. Believe me".

Vaughn didn't say anything. He simply stared at his hands, which were resting on a small, round table, positioned between him and Haru.

"You know how Mark is. You know how impulsive he can be. He wouldn't stand around, and do nothing, if he thinks someone is getting hurt because of him. He would rush to help that person, and probably end up doing, or saying, something harsh, or unwise," Haru continued.

"What should I do?" Vaughn raised his face. Haru thought that the Silver Wolfe's heir looked forlorn, and lost.

"Don't do anything rush. We need to think this through..." Haru was cut short by frantic knocks at the door. "Come in," he said.

Han and Shea burst into the room. "Vaughn, Mark is gone!" Han was hysterical. "Mark went away!" He flailed his arms around.

"What? Where did he go?" Vaughn got up from his seat instantly.

"He went to The Other. Princess said that the Harvest Goddess called him," Han exploded into tears. "I tried...I tried to follow him, but she...she wouldn't let me..." He rubbed his eyes, breaking into a wail. Shea tried to console him by taking the cat boy in his arms, and shushed him.

Vaughn fell back into the chair. He had totally forgotten about the Goddess. Months ago, Will had tried to send him to The Other, trying to destroy his soul, and Mark had followed him, in order to save him. Because of that, Mark had owed the Goddess of The Other a favor, and now it was apparently payback time. This is all my fault, Vaughn thought. This is all because I am not strong enough. Time to grow up, he thought. Time to pay for all the stupid mistakes I made. Time to face my responsibility, as Mark would have said.

"I need to grow up, don't I? I need to do what is right," Vaughn said, with a small voice, almost inaudible. He rose slowly. "I am going to tell my father that I will meet with his matchmaker, if he would spare your life, Haru..."

"Silver Wolf, wait!" Haru said, rising. "Don't be hasty..." But Vaughn had walked out of the room, and didn't hear him.

Vaughn stormed into his father's office. "I'll do it!" He barked. "I'll meet with your damn matchmaker! Just don't kill them..." He was breathing hard, and glaring at his father, who was at the moment trying to dictate a letter to Toru.

"Toru, please excuse us," Gareth spoke calmly. Toru nodded and departed.

"Watch your language, son," Gareth scolded Vaughn. Then his eyes softened a little. "I am glad you have decided to see the matchmaker".

Vaughn let out a sharp breath. "I...I'll meet with your matchmaker, but...but I can't promise...that I will find someone I like...I..." His voice was trailing. He felt his resolve ebbing away. What am I doing, he thought with panic. I don't want this!

"I understand," Gareth finished Vaughn's sentence. "You'll do your best, as you always do. You'll make an effort. It may take a while, but you will find someone". He eyed his son's face, the one which resembled so much of his own: the same silver hair, the same blood-red eyes darkened by the storm of emotions, which he himself, had felt twenty-five years ago. "I met your mother through a matchmaking service too, you know," he added, thinking that would make his son feel a little better.

Vaughn looked down. Calm down, he told himself. Calm. Down. He tried his best to put on his stoic mask. "What are you going to do to them?" He asked, fighting to keep his voice even.

"Twenty lashes. Public flogging. Two days from now," Gareth said. His hands collected the papers on his desk, and tapped them together.

"Public flogging?" Vaughn whipped his head up. He couldn't believe what he had just heard. "That's barbaric, father!"

"They are to be made an example, for other soul keepers," Gareth said, coldly. "You will understand one day, when you are alpha. Sometimes you have to make a difficult decision".

There were millions of things that Vaughn had wanted to say. But the arguments, and the questions, lodged themselves firmly in his throat, refusing to come out, suffocating him. "I need some air," finally he said, before he left his father's office...

* * *

><p>Two days later, early in the morning, a few dozens wolf men and their soul keepers gathered in the front yard of the Silver Wolfe's main house. Haru and Chen were strapped between two poles, shirtless. Their smooth, slender backs were exposed to the world. A couple of wolf men stood ready; each had a cat o' nine tails whip with him.<p>

"I am sorry, Chen," Haru spoke to the man bound beside him with a quiet voice. "I have never wanted you to be punished for this".

"Don't worry, Haru," Chen answered. "We, soul keepers, should stick together, right?" His eyes scanned the spectators until he found Alistair's anxious, conflicting eyes. He nodded at the wolf man, silently mouthing: it's okay. It is okay.

Haru opened his mouth, and was about to answer, but his voice was drowned by the loud, cracking noises coming out the whips, and he heard a muffled scream coming out of Chen's mouth. Haru clenched his own teeth as he felt the whip licked his skin, refusing to scream at first. But by the second time the whip hit him, he felt as if his back was on fire. Finally, by the third lash, a scream escaped his lips.

Vaughn flinched every time he heard Haru or Chen screamed. "This...this..." His voice shook. "I can't watch this..." He had never witnessed a public flogging before, and it had bothered him. He wasn't sure why. He had seen blood before, bones and flesh being torn or broken, as the aftermath of wolves fight, but it didn't bother him this much before. It might be because he knew the people who were being flogged, and they were people whom he had cared about. Not being able to stomach the sight and the scream any longer, he turned on his heels, and nearly ran out of the front yard, towards the guest house where he had been living. In front of the house he stopped, and leaned against a tree, retching. But nothing came up, except for a dry, raspy breath, as he didn't even have breakfast that morning. He was glad that he had forbidden Shea and Han to attend the public flogging.

Despicable, Vaughn thought furiously, we are despicable. His vision darkened for a second, as he felt as if the world around him was closing in on him, forcing him to his knees. Now he understood why Mark didn't love him as much he loved Mark. Because Mark must have somehow known, what a wolf man is capable of, Vaughn thought. That we are animals in human skins...

Gareth forced himself to watch the flogging, even as his stomach folded inside him. But after a while, he too, was at his limit. He had never heard Haru and Chen screamed like that before. "Stop! That's enough!" His voice sliced through the cracking noise.

The wolf men with the whips stopped, and looked at Gareth quizzically, "It has only been ten lashes, Great Wolf," one of them said.

"I said, that's enough!" Gareth glared. "Cut them down!" He looked at his servants. "Go to them. Get them a doctor," he gestured with his head.

The servants hurried towards Haru and Chen to cut down their restraints. They laid the wounded soul keepers down on a couple of stretchers, each on his stomach. Chen was carried towards his own home, while Haru was carried inside the Silver Wolfe's main house. The servants took Haru to his living quarter, to attend to his wound, and dispatched one of them to fetch a doctor.

Gareth was pacing outside Haru's room, when the doctor finally emerged from the bedroom. "How is he?" Gareth asked,

"He is fine. The wounds will take a while to heal, but otherwise he will be fine. I have left some healing salve and medications with your servants".

"Thanks, doctor," Gareth dismissed the doctor. He entered the bedroom, and saw Haru lying on the bed, on his stomach, with his eyes closed. His wounds had been cleansed, medicated and dressed. Gareth thought that he had never seen his soul keeper looking so pale before. "Haru..." He said softly, as he approached the bed.

"Yes, Great Wolf?" Haru opened his eyes. Slowly he pushed himself up to a sitting position, wincing all the way.

"I am sorry," Gareth said, keeping his eyes to the floor. "But I have to do it. You understand, don't you?"

Haru didn't say anything. Gareth reached his hand out towards Haru's face.

"Don't touch me, Gareth," Haru said. His voice was even, but inside his blood was boiling.

"I understand if you are angry at me, Haru. I have hurt you, but please understand, I have to..."

"I am not angry at you because you hurt me," Haru cut Gareth short. "I stepped on your toes, so I deserved those lashes. I will gladly take them again if I have to. I am angry at you because you are using me as a pawn, to force your son to do something he doesn't want to do". He tried to catch Gareth's eyes, but the Great Wolf avoided him. "Don't you want your son to be happy? He is your only son, for goddess' sake!"

Gareth's chest rose and fell. "I did what I have to do! Did you think that I wanted to marry someone else, when I am in love with you? Did you think that I wanted to hurt you, or Vaughn, this way? I had to do it because I am alpha! When you are alpha, you have to make sacrifices for the good of the clan! I have made mine, now it's Vaughn's turn to make his!" He spat. His breathing was short and ragged. "And you! You have never told me how you felt about my marriage! You didn't care back then, why do you care now?"

"Yes, it's true, that I didn't say anything about your marriage. Whether or not it was right for me not to tell you how I felt, I don't know. But it was my decision! No one forced me". Haru shot Gareth a look of defiance. "And whether or not you wanted it, _you_ made those decisions. No one forced you! Vaughn should be allowed to live his life, his way. No one should force him to do anything he doesn't want to do!" Haru took a couple of deep breaths, willing himself to calm down. He had always believed that nothing good would come out of raising one's voice. "It doesn't have to be this way, Gareth," he continued with a calmer voice. "Remember we talk about this, a long time ago, about how the alpha position should be given to the most able wolf, instead of being passed on through bloodlines?"

"Yeah, I remember. But it was just a naive, idealistic talk! We were young then. We didn't understand the way the world works!" Gareth countered.

"Well, I am not young anymore". Haru straightened his spine as much as possible. He grimaced a little as he felt pain burning across his back. "But I still believe that's the way it should be. Who decides how the world is supposed to work?" He challenged Gareth with his eyes. "Besides, don't tell me that you didn't think about it. Why else did you pay so much attention to Will? You _were_ grooming him to become your successor, weren't you?"

Gareth glowered at Haru. "Yes, I was. But that was for the worst case scenario! I would prefer Vaughn to take over from me. I would prefer my bloodline to continue to lead this clan..."

"Gareth, listen..."

"It's true that no one forced me!" Gareth continued to rant. His face was red, as he paced around the room. Then he stopped, saying, "But it was expected of me, as an heir, to continue my family's bloodline! If I didn't do it willingly, my father would surely force me to do it!"

"Then you can become the first father who would let his son to choose his own life, dearest. You can become that one visionary wolf. Be the _trailblazer_," Haru said. His dark eyes held Gareth's crimson ones. "Become greater than your father, and his father before him. Be the one who changes everything..."

Gareth glared at Haru silently for a moment. Then he said, with a cold voice, "I am here to see if you are fine, and obviously you are. Have a lot of rest, you need it. I'll ask the doctor to check on you every day". He turned and walked out of the room.

Haru sighed. Dear goddess, help me, he thought. I don't know what to do.

End of Chapter 25


	26. Chapter 26: Cage

Author's note: I have to revise chapter 25 to take out Toru's interaction with Haru. I did have a plan for him, but after reading my notes and thinking some more about it, I have decided that Toru's subplot was a little overreaching. His interaction with Haru was supposed to lead to that subplot, so I have deleted them. Toru will be relegated to a minor character, not involved in any sub plot. Sorry about that.

Chapter 26: Cage

Elliot was washing the lunch dishes when he heard the knock at the door. He rinsed his hands, and dried them with a clean tea towel before answering the door. He was dumbfounded to see Kaede, Charles' soul keeper, standing on the other side of the door.

"Good afternoon, Elliot," Kaede raised his head to greet the red head with a cheerful voice.

"Af-afternoon, Kaede".

"I am going to run some errands for Charles in the town this afternoon. Would you like to come with me?"

"I-I..." Elliot hesitated.

"Come with me. You have been here for almost three months already, and all you do is holing up here. I'll show you around our town. It is small, but a very nice one," Kaede smiled.

"Uh...I need to get dinner ready..."

Kaede raised one delicate brow, and shot Elliot a puzzled look. It was early afternoon, and he wondered for a moment, what kind of dinner the red head was making, that would take the whole afternoon to do. "We will be back well before dinner time, I promise. You will have enough time to cook," he said. "It's a nice day outside. The fresh air will do you good. Not to mention the exercise".

Elliot wavered. Finally he said, "O-okay". He grabbed his jacket, walked out of the door, and locked it behind him.

Together, they walked leisurely to the town of Leaf Valley. The winter afternoon sky was gray, and would be bleak, safe for the rays of light and warmth punched through stubbornly, making the day somewhat cozier, and less dreary. Spring is almost here, the ray of light seemed to say. We are taking back the day from the old man winter, the ray of warmth pronounced.

Kaede led Elliot through the town's meandering cobblestone road, pointing out the stores which he thought Elliot might be interested in. Over here was the cafe, which doubled as the bar at night. Its elderly owner was now sweeping the road just outside the cafe in calm, unhurried motions. He stopped briefly, and nodded at Kaede and Elliot, before continuing his meditative sweeping.

After the bend, there was a grocery store, which, Kaede informed Elliot excitedly, sold the best bread in town, and possibly, in the whole wide world. Eliot had nodded, after a hesitation. He wasn't sure about the whole wide world part, since he had tasted some pretty good breads in his travel with Will, but he wasn't about to argue with the brunette, who had seemed so sure. They had stopped at the grocery store, so Kaede could purchase a few items. Then, sensing that the other man didn't quite believe him with regards to the quality of the grocery store bread, Kaede had decided to purchase a loaf for Elliot. He pressed the loaf into Elliot's hand, insisting the latter to try it, and see for himself if it was indeed, the tastiest bread in the world.

After the grocery store, they made their way towards the Items and Flower shop, where Kaede had to purchase a couple more items. He introduced Elliot to the Flower shop owner, a very pleasant and pretty young woman, and her husband, the owner of the Items shop. The flower shop lady gave Elliot a single Blue Mist flower as a welcome gift. Elliot had stuttered and turned crimson, as he accepted the Blue Mist. No girl, or boy for that matter, had given him a flower before, especially one with such a heady perfume, and an extravagant blue color. Watching the red head getting so flustered, Kaede had chuckled, causing the nervous boy to turn even redder. They said their goodbye to the nice couple, and strolled on, passed the town square, heading towards the beach.

The beach was deserted at that time of the day. The gray sky cast slow-moving dark shadows over the water, but here and there, riding gleefully on the ocean waves, Elliot could see sparkles, where the sun rays fell. He breathed the sea air deeply, tasting its saltiness at the back of his throat. And for the first time, in a long while, he felt the knots in his shoulders started to loosen, just a bit, just enough to make him feel a little less edgy. He watched the sea gulls soaring, and he imagined that he was one of them, floating away, leaving this body, this place, and never to return...Kaede's voice brought him back down, saying that this beach was a popular fishing area, and the location for the New Year's Eve festival. He could hear the other soul keeper asking him if he wanted to go fishing tomorrow, and he heard himself accepting the invitation. Strange, he thought. The voice that came out of him didn't sound like him. It was more sure, less stutter. How strange...

Dark clouds were moving in, stalking the light rays. They pounced at the light, and swallowed it whole. Kaede started to shiver, and suggested that they should make their way back to the cafe for tea and snacks. Elliot glanced one more time at the sea gulls, before turning to follow the shorter man.

"Your hair is long," Elliot said, as he warmed his hands around his tea mug, glancing at Kaede's dark, long braid, which at the moment, was slung over one shoulder. They were sitting across a table from each other in the cafe, the only two customers in that late afternoon.

"Yeah," Kaede said. His hand unconsciously caressed his braid. "I don't like it long, but Charles told me to grow my hair. He said it suits me".

"It does," Elliot responded. "It's cute". The braid did suit Kaede, who had a small, heart-shaped face, and huge brown eyes.

"Well, I don't like it. It makes me look like a girl," Kaede smiled ruefully. "But you know these wolf men, you can't say no to them".

Elliot nodded silently.

"So, I heard that before you came here, you and the Golden Wolf traveled the world. Is that true?" Kaede leaned towards Elliot, both elbows on the table.

"Yes, we did. On Will's yacht".

Kaede's eyes widened. "Oh, lucky you!" He said. "I don't travel much. Tell me some stories..."

"Oh, we saw this wind mill, in this one town..." Elliot started. He told the brunette of wind powered, instead of steam powered, machines. Kaede listened carefully, giving out appropriate responses from time to time, which encouraged the red head to keep talking. So he told another story: of strange creatures called kappa with waterlogged bowls in their heads...

"Incredible!" Kaede said breathlessly. "Such a wonderful world out there...I wish I can see it with my own eyes!"

Elliot smiled a little at the other man's enthusiastic response.

"I think this is the first time I see you smile," Kaede beamed. "That's better. You look much better when you smile. You don't look so sad..." He paused. "...Do you have any family?"

"I have a grandpa, a mother and a sister living on Sunshine Island. You?"

"Well, there are my parents, and my nine brothers and sisters. Is your sister older or younger than you? How did you become a soul keeper?"

"I am older," Elliot sighed. "I just...I just wanted to see the world, I guess. I didn't want to be a produce shipper like my grandpa...like my dad. I wasn't good at it anyway. So when they found out that I have magic in me, the wolves asked me if I wanted to become a soul keeper. How about you?"

"My family had served the Crimson Wolfe's clan for generations. We have a contract with them, which said that every elemental born in the family will serve as a soul keeper," Kaede said softly. His eyes swept the table. "In exchange, the clan protects and provides for us".

Elliot cleared his throat. "I see. Do you...do you like your wolf?"

"Kind of. Charles may not seem like a nice person, but he is not a bad guy either, you know. He had never hurt me...well, not intentionally anyway," Kaede said. Something in his voice made Elliot glanced at him.

Elliot started to wonder if there was such thing as a nice wolf man. He had heard stories that some wolves in the Silver Wolfe's clan were actually nice to their soul keepers, but he wasn't sure if those stories were true. He had never befriended other soul keepers when he was still in that clan to find out. Gareth was lenient towards soul keepers in general, but who knew how he treated Haru behind closed doors, he thought darkly. He knew that wolf men thought that humans were inferior. He knew, because Will had told him so, many times. Furthermore, Will had always reminded him, that the purpose of elementals was to serve the wolf men.

Elliot recalled how happy he was when the Silver Wolfe's clan had come for him. He had always been painfully shy, and quiet, and most people wouldn't have given him a second look. He had never stood out in the crowd. His own sister thought that he was a bumbling idiot, and a freak, for being able to summon lightning. He had agreed with her, and his ability had become his shameful secret...until the day the wolf men came knocking at his family house's door. Somehow they had found out about his magic, and they were ecstatic. They had asked him if he wanted to become a soul keeper. He had jumped at what he thought was his chance for adventure, a chance to escape his mundane life, and to finally, become _somebody_. His family of course, had objected, and he had defied them for the first time in his life.

He remembered the day they brought him to the Golden Wolfe's house, to introduce him to Will. He thought that his heart had stopped, as he laid eyes on Will for the first time. So lovely was the golden boy who stood in front of him. His eyes were as blue as the open sky. So perfect was the boy's smile, which made Elliot felt that he was the luckiest boy in the world, to have such a beautiful boy smiled at him like that...

Kaede broke Elliot's train of thought. "How about Will? Do you like him?" He said with a cheery voice. "He seems like a very nice person. He is very friendly, charming, and the most _beautiful_ wolf man I have ever seen. Everyone in the clan loves him. The other soul keepers and I...well, we are so envious!" He let out a small laugh.

"I-I guess," Elliot said. His stutter was back. "He-he-he is okay". He felt the knots on his shoulders tightened. "I need to go back. I-I need to start dinner..." His heart started to ache as he realized that somewhere along the way, between that first meeting and today, he had lost that "luckiest boy" feeling.

"Are you okay, Elliot?" Kaede shot a worried look.

"Yeah, I am fine..."

Kaede nodded. "Well, you are right. We should head back. Let's go". They rose, gathered their shopping, and trudged back to the Crimson Wolfe's house. By the time they reached the house, the gray sky had darkened, as more clouds moving in, bringing with them a threat of snow storm in the air. At the house, they had said goodbye at the front door, as Charles' living quarter was at the opposite end of Will's.

"Ah, there you are," Will said, as Elliot entered their living quarter. Will was sitting on a chair, with his legs crossed, and his fingers laced together, resting on his lap. He peered closely at his soul keeper. "Where have you been, Elliot?" His voice was calm, and casual. He didn't miss the loaf of bread, poking out of its brown paper bag, held in Elliot's arm, and the blue flower, in his hand.

"I-I went out with Kaede to town to..." Elliot fidgeted.

"You went out with Kaede? Since when you and him are friends?" Will shot Elliot a questioning look.

"No, we-we are not friends. He-he just wanted to show me around. He said he had errands to run in town, and he-he-he asked if I wanted to come with him," Elliot said. He felt guilty, although he wasn't sure why. The knots in his shoulders were getting worse.

Will uncrossed his legs. "Come here, Elliot," he said with a pleasant smile, patting his lap. Elliot placed the bread and the flower on the floor, by the door, and went to sit on Will's lap. The wolf man ran his hand through his soul keeper's hair. "You love me, don't you, soul keeper of mine? Even if you are only a lowly human, you love me, don't you?"

"Yes..." Elliot whispered.

"If you love me, you do not need anyone else other than me, understand?" Will took Elliot's chin in his hand, looking into his eyes.

Elliot nodded.

"If you love me, you will stay here in this room, and not go anywhere unless I tell you so, do you understand?"

"Yes..."

"I have been very nice to you, soul keeper. Please don't make me punish you. Be good; do not provoke me," Will locked eyes with Elliot until the red head turned away. "You don't want anything to happen to your new friend, Kaede, do you?" He added.

Elliot whipped his head back. His eyes grew bigger with fear. "No,Will, don't. I told you, we are _not_ friends!"

"Then stay away from him. If something happens to him, it will be on your head, Elliot," Will pulled Elliot's face closer to kiss him. Elliot's weight and taste stirred something in him, and for a moment he was tempted to take his soul keeper right there and then. But then he reminded himself that he needed his energy and stamina tonight. So instead he rose, forcing Elliot to get off his lap. He reached for an overnight bag beside him, slung it over one shoulder, and started to walk towards the door. "I am staying over at Caleb's tonight. If anyone asks, just tell them that I am out for the night. Don't tell them that I am at Caleb's," he said, without looking at Elliot, reaching for the bread and the flower. "And I will be going straight to work in the morning". Finally, he looked over his shoulder, and smiled at Elliot. "Be good, soul keeper," he chirped brightly, before he stepped out and closed the door behind him.

Elliot fell on his knees. Don't cry, he told himself. He dug his right fingernails into his left fist. Don't cry. Don't scream. You love him, remember? Yes, I love him, he whispered to himself. And I fear him. And I _hate_ him. He dug his fingernails deeper. His heart felt like a battleground, as love, fear, and hate, waging wars against each other, leaving ugly, painful welts in their wakes...

* * *

><p>Will went to Caleb's living quarter, and knocked at the door. The door opened after the second knock, and Caleb's thrilled face was looking at him from the other side of the door.<p>

"I come bearing gifts," Will said with a smile, as he held out the bread and the Blue Mist.

Caleb reached out for Will, and pulled him for a kiss. "I can't tell you how long I have waited for this," he said, with a coarse voice. "Why did you make me wait so long for this?" He dragged Will inside his unit, straight into the bedroom, kicking the bedroom door closed behind him. He pinned Will against the door, kissing him greedily, grinding his hips against the blond wolf man. The bread and the flower were dropped on the floor carelessly, somewhere between the front door and the bedroom. Forgotten...

An hour later, Caleb collapsed on the bed with a satisfied groan. "I love you," he said, turning his naked body on the side to gather Will into his arms. He caressed Will's face with the back of his hand. "You are beautiful. You are sexy. You are perfect," he said. "And damn! That was the best fuck ever!" he exclaimed with a wolfish grin on his face.

"I love you too, Caleb," Will purred at the Crimson Wolf.

Caleb's grin disappeared and was replaced by a frown. "If you love me, then why are you sleeping with my brother?"

"You know why, darling. I need to gain his trust and confidence".

"I don't know...you keep saying that, and yet, you seem to enjoy sleeping with Charles," Caleb sounded as if he was sulking.

"Oh come on, don't be like this. You know Charles doesn't mean anything to me," Will raked his fingers slowly down Caleb's back, making him trembled softly. "I am doing this for you, Caleb. You are the one for me".

"Did you really mean that?" Caleb gave him a questioning look.

Will flashed him a perfect smile. "Of course".

Caleb still looked a little miffed, but he didn't say anything further.

"Just remember: you cannot tell anyone else that I am dating you until you are alpha, alright? Not even your soul keeper. Because Jason has a big mouth. You hear me?" Will rolled on top of Caleb, nipping at his throat and ears. He could feel the other wolf man shuddered under him. "It won't be long now, my love, please be patient..." He worked his way down, running his hands and tongue lazily all over Caleb's body. "You are hard, again," he shot a naughty look at Caleb.

"I..I can't think straight...when I am with you," Caleb was breathing hard.

"Is that so? Then lie back and enjoy, darling. Let me show you how much I love you..."

They coupled furiously for two more rounds after that, until they were both exhausted and spent. Then they drifted to sleep in each other's arms.

I am perfect, Will thought, with a satisfied smile. Yes, you bet I am. He recalled his grandfather, who was long gone, who once had told him that of all the bloodlines, the Golden Wolfe was the finest. Our bloodline, his grandfather had said with pride, had produced the smartest, most beautiful, and most ruthless wolves. We deserve to be on top of the world, he concluded. We deserve to be alphas.

As he was falling asleep, Will's thought turned to love, and he pondered why that one feeble emotion seemed so important to many humans and wolf men alike. He couldn't understand why, such a flighty feeling, was sought after by some many. His grandfather, or his father, had never mentioned it, and they certainly had never told him that they loved him. A small part of him wondered, what was so addictive about that particular feeling. But he dismissed that thought quickly. Love makes you weak and vulnerable, he told himself. Love exploits you...

The next morning, Will woke up before Caleb. He showered, groomed himself carefully, and went to the office. To his surprise, Charles was already there. "Morning, Charles," Will said. It was very rare for Charles to come in before him.

"Good morning. I can't sleep," Charles said. "I dropped by your place last night, but your soul keeper said that you were out for the night". He pulled Will into him for a kiss. "You taste good," Charles murmured. "But then again, you always taste so very good". He lifted Will so the blond sat on his desk, then he started to unbutton Will's shirt while working his lips and tongue on the blond's throat and ears. He pushed him down on the desk, and started to undo his belt buckle...

Afterward, Charles asked, "Are you seeing someone else?"

"No," Will said without hesitation, as he straightened his clothes.

"Good. Don't. Because you are mine," Charles said. His voice was even and his eyes held Will's. "Stay over at my place tonight," he added. "You have never stayed the night..."

"I would love to, Great Wolf," Will said. "I just need to pick up a few things at my place, so I'll come a little later".

Charles nodded. "I have something for you," he said. He moved to sit on his plush, office chair, and opened his desk drawer. He took out a small box, and handed it to Will. "I saw it in the store yesterday, and I thought it would look good on you".

Will opened it, and saw that there was an expensive-looking watch in the box: gleaming golden metallic strap, with small diamonds doted its white square face. His eyes widened, "This looks expensive. Are you sure, Charles?"

"Of course. For you: anything. Besides, you have worked very hard these past few months, you deserve that watch". Charles clasped his hands on his desk. There was a little smile on his face.

Will leaned over to return Charles' smile with a kiss. Then he took off his own watch, and put on his new one. The new watch definitely was much better than his old one, he thought, as he admired its workmanship and material. It must have cost a fortune, he concluded with satisfaction. "I adore you," he told Charles. "Thank you, darling".

"I am lucky to have you," Charles responded. "You are much more capable than any wolf in my clan".

Will smiled. Of course I am, he thought. I am the finest. I am beautiful. I am Golden Wolf. "Just a reminder," he said, his voice was now all business. "We have an important meeting scheduled after lunch..."

* * *

><p>After lunch, Elliot opened his door to find Kaede on the other side, once again. He told the other soul keeper with a small voice, that he couldn't go fishing anymore. But as soon as he said that, he remembered the seagulls: flying free and unafraid. And he felt an uncontrollable urge to see them again. Will wouldn't find out, he told himself. I will be careful. I won't be gone for long, he thought. Then he heard himself telling Kaede, with that calm, alien voice again, that he couldn't go fishing this afternoon, but he wouldn't mind going for a short walk at the beach. The brunette had nodded, and assured him that a short walk was fine, and they could go fishing some other time.<p>

Will was on his way to the mansion's kitchen to fetch the coffee and tea for the meeting. As he walked through the long corridor of the Crimson Wolfe's mansion, he glanced at the window to check his reflection. He was checking that his hair was in place, and his suit was impeccable, when his eyes spotted the fiery head of his soul keeper. It took him another second to register, that his soul keeper and Charles' soul keeper were walking side by side, away from the Crimson Wolfe's house. He stood there silently, watching Kaede looking up at Elliot and said something to him. Elliot had turned his head aside to face Kaede in return, and he had...smiled.

Will couldn't believe what he had just seen. He had never smiled to me like that, he thought. Without warning, white, hot rage seared his mind. He rested his hand on the windowpane, fingers spread, as if he was trying to stop them. But unfortunately, they didn't see him, and kept on walking. Then as quickly as that rage had exploded in his mind, it disappeared, and was replaced by a cool stillness. It's you fault, Elliot, he thought. I warned you, but you didn't listen. You bring this onto yourself.

End of Chapter 26


	27. Ch27:My Back is Not Strong Enough Part 1

Chapter 27: My Back Is Not Strong Enough Part 1

Day 1

"Hello, Mark. Nice to see you again," the Goddess turned and smiled, as she eyed the blond boy who just stepped into her living room. She was standing in front of her huge bookcase, trying to figure out which book she would like to read.

"Goddess," Mark bowed his head.

The Harvest Goddess tilted her head, giving Mark a questioning look. "What's wrong, child? You look upset".

He shook his head. "I am...fine. Nothing is wrong". He kept his eyes down on the living room floor.

"I see..." the Goddess decided not to push. "Well, remember your dream? The one with the little girl?"

Mark raised his eyes. "You know about my dream?"

"Yes, the Witch Princess, told me. She was worried about you". Her eyes caught the cat ears. "I see..." A slow smile formed on her face. "So she did give you something. I thought she might do that".

"They don't do anything," he said, glaring at the cat ears in his hand. Well, except for driving Vaughn crazy, he thought. He felt a little heat on his face.

"Oh, they do something," the Goddess frowned at her bookcase; her finger tapped her lips. She stooped and pulled out a thick, leather-bound book. She had read that book many times, but it was her favorite, so she decided to read it again. "You just haven't figured it out yet..." She shot a knowing look at Mark, as she crossed the room to settle herself on her reading chair, near the sunny window. "Anyway, she also told me a while back that you needed help, and I started to think that she might be right. Especially if you have to fight a damned soul."

"What's a damned soul?" Mark asked. And why is it always a bright, sunny day in The Other, a thought crossed his mind, as he looked out of the living room window.

"Sometimes a soul gets damaged, for whatever reasons: maybe it has existed outside The Other for too long, maybe it was involved in the darkest kind of magic, and so on. Damaged soul may decide to start devouring other souls, and become tainted...damned". The Harvest Goddess ran her fingers over the book's leather cover.

"What...what can we do with such soul?"

"Well, you and the girl in your dream will have to figure it out. Conventional seals won't work". The Goddess flipped open her book to the first page. "You need to stop this corrupted soul in your dream, before it gets too strong, before it devours too many souls. It may start attacking the living if it gets too strong..." She paused. "...But before that I would like you to see a man, called Bishop. He will help you to become stronger. Hanna will go with you, to help you as well".

"Hanna?" Mark glanced at the red haired girl beside him. The girl flashed a grin at him.

"Yes. I had marked her, so that she could move freely in the realm of the living, without being in danger..." The Goddess glanced at the boy. "Whatever you do, don't let the damned one gets its hand on the girl". There was a serious look on her face. "I think this girl is special. I have the feeling she is the one with the Mother Tree spirit inside her".

"Mother Tree spirit?"

"Yes, the spirit of your natural world. It is embedded in her soul. If the tainted one devoured her soul, it will be invincible, you understand? It will wreak havoc to your world, possibly bringing the end to your way of living. Even if it doesn't, your world will not survive without the Mother Tree spirit".

Hearing this Mark was stunned. He hadn't realized that the stake was that high. "But Goddess, then why don't you help me to defeat it?"

"The Witch Princess and I have already given you all the help we can, my dear child. I am sorry, but we can't meddle in human affairs too much. It is up to mankind to solve its own problem..."

"I can't do this, Goddess. I am very weak. I am useless. Please ask someone else, someone stronger". Mark felt ice cold trickle down his spine.

"Go to Bishop. He will help you," She glanced at him. "It has to be you, child. The girl chose you for whatever reason".

"But...I...will fail. And everyone will die because of me..."

"You won't. I believe in you. You will not give up," the Goddess' smile was languid.

"No, you don't understand. In my dreams, I failed! I let her down. I..."

"You have no choice..." The Goddess cut him off. "You are wearing my mark," she said, referring to the lotus flower mark on Mark's left collarbone. "Do this, and I will consider your debt paid". She flicked her fingers to open a portal in the middle of her living room.

"But..."

"Good luck, Mark," she waved her hand absently, already her attention was being absorbed by her book.

Mark and Hanna stepped out of the portal, out of the Goddess' living room, out of the daylight, and into a winter evening. They found themselves standing in a front yard of a stone cottage, located on top of a hill. At the bottom of the hill, at some distance away, Mark could see the outline of a village: little houses jammed together, with light pouring out of their windows into the evening.

The cottage was small and dark, and flanked on two sides by dense shrubberies and trees. Under the cold light of the sharp, crescent moon, the tree shadows clawed at the stony wall of the house. And Mark could see that the roof of the house had seen better days, and the graying, weather-beaten paint on its front porch, was peeling sadly. The small yard in front of the house was littered with snow-capped weeds, dead branches and rocks.

Beside the house, on a clearing, there was a small barn with wide double doors. The barn was connected to the house by a well-traveled dirt path. The barn seemed to be in a better shape than the cottage: the dark, red paint on its wood siding walls, and doors, were newer looking, and mostly intact. Warm light spilled from the gap between the barn doors and the ground.

A loud explosion coming out of the barn, and startled them. A couple of seconds later, one of the barn double doors was flung wide opened, and black smoke erupted out of it. A tall and lanky figure emerged from the thick smoke, half running, half stumbling, towards them. The figure staggered, bending over in a coughing fit, as the smoke dispersed around him.

"Oh yeah...cough...that's was definitely...cough...the wrong part..." The man muttered to himself with a rasping breath. He inhaled deeply a couple of times, still bending over, hands over his knees for support. Then he straightened himself up, and finally realized, that there were other people standing in the yard, staring at him.

"Who are you? And what do you want?" The man asked. It's hard to see what he looked like, as the light was behind him, hiding half of his face in shadows. He was wearing what looked like a pair of aviator goggles over his eyes: thick, round glasses encased in a metal frame, and fastened around his head by a leather strap. From little that Mark could see, the man's face seemed to be covered in soot and grease, and his dark hair was gathered in a short ponytail.

"My name is Mark, and I don't know if you can see the girl beside me, but her name is Hanna. We are looking for Bishop".

The man crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Yeah, I can see the damn ghost. What do you want with Bishop?"

"Are you Bishop?"

"I said, what do you want with Bishop?" The man's tone of voice was impatient.

"I am sent by the Harvest Goddess. She said you can help me to become a stronger elemental. I need to become stronger, so I can help a little girl..."

The man held out his hand to stop Mark. "There is no one here named Bishop, kid. Get out".

"No, it can't be!" Hanna said. "The Goddess sent us here to speak to Bishop. She can't be wrong".

"I am telling you, girlie. There is no one here named Bishop. Now stop wasting my time, and get out of my property!"

"You are Bishop, aren't you?" Mark approached the man. "You definitely have magic in you, strong enough magic, that you can see and hear Hanna. Please, you have to help me, Bishop".

"You are trespassing," the man sneered. "I want you to leave my property".

"A little girl is in danger. I need to help her. If I don't, then the whole world will be in danger. And I can't do it unless I become stronger. Please, I need your help," Mark was getting desperate.

Bishop lifted his goggles above his head. There were rings of clean, light-colored skin around his dark eyes, where the goggles used to be. He eyed Mark for a few seconds, noting the kitty ears hairband clutched in the blond's hand, and the pack on his back."Go home, kid. There is nothing I can do for you," he dismissed them with a wave of his hand. He turned on his heels, strode quickly with his long legs towards the house, and disappeared inside. Mark and Hanna rushed to catch him, only to have the door slammed in front of their faces. They heard the lock clicked into place.

"Bishop! Please, you have to hear me out!" Mark banged at the door. No response. He hammered at the door a couple more times, but there was still no response. Inside the house, the lights were turned on.

"What are we going to do now?" Hanna turned her face aside to look at Mark. She could go through the wall as a ghost, but she didn't think Bishop would appreciate that.

Mark sighed. "I don't know. I guess we just wait". He dropped his pack on the porch and sat beside it. "He would have to come out of the house sooner or later..." He said, his eyes staring at the distance, and his hand clutching his silver pendant under his shirt, already forgetting about Bishop, and thinking about his wolf man instead.

The days had gotten warmer since Spring was near, but the evenings were still quite chilly. After sitting on the porch for some time, Mark started to shiver. He jumped onto his feet, and started to do jumping jacks to stay warm. Hanna, who of course couldn't feel any warmth or cold, frowned.

"Fuck this!" She said. "I can't let you stay out all night. You are going to freeze to death". She went through the wall into the house before Mark could stop her. "Hey, Bishop..." She started, and stopped, taken aback, as she looked around her. Her eyes widened with disbelief. There were dust and cobwebs everywhere. Dirty dishes piled in the sink. The windows and the floor were filthy. Empty, instant ramen noodles containers, and store-bought cookie packages, littered the kitchen table.

"What a pig sty!" Hanna blurted out. "How...how could you live like this?" She frowned at Bishop, who at the moment, was sprawling on the couch, eating ramen noodles. He looked as if he had showered. His shoulder-length hair was still a little damp, and was out of its ponytail. In the light Hanna could see, that his eyes were steel gray, and that they were glowering at her.

"Get out of my house!"

"You have to let Mark in!" She barked back. "He is freezing to death out there".

Bishop lifted the instant noodle container to his mouth, and slurped loudly. "If he is that cold, then tell him to go home".

"No, you don't understand. We do have a mission from the Goddess. So we are not going anywhere! Got it? Mark is not going anywhere, and if you don't let him in, he will die from the exposure on your doorstep. And it will be your fault!" Hanna thrust her index finger at his face. "Do you want me to tell the Goddess what a mean person you are?"

"I don't care," Bishop shrugged. "You can tell the Goddess whatever you want". He rose from the sofa, and put the empty noodle container on the kitchen table. Then he stretched his long limbs lazily, like a cat.

She rushed towards him, and ran her fingers across his arm. The contact made her flinched, and jumped away. He had jumped too, rubbing his arm furiously. Her touch had felt like ice to him, while his skin had felt like fire to her. The two glared at each other.

"Don't do that!" Bishop yelled. "That felt really weird!"

"I'll do it again, and again, until you let him in!" Hanna shouted back at him. She reached out her hand towards him once again. The man recoiled, trying to avoid her touch.

"Fine, fine. I'll let him in". He sighed and shook his head. "Why can't I be left alone," he muttered to himself, as he opened his front door. "Hey, you!" He shouted. "Come in, before you freeze to death! Come on, move faster! I don't have all the time in the world, just come in here!"

Mark stepped into the house. His face was red due to the physical exercises he was doing to stay warm. "Thank you...thank..." He said, panting.

"You can sleep on the couch for tonight. It's a pull-out couch," Bishop cut Mark off. "There should be a blanket in that cupboard," he gestured with his head. He slammed the door behind Mark and re-locked it. Then he went to the fridge, took out a couple of beer bottles, and opened them with a bottle opener. He gulped his beer. "I am going to bed," he went into his bedroom, a beer on each hand, and kicked the door closed behind him.

A few seconds later, the bedroom door re-opened, and Bishop poked his head out of the door opening. "You better be gone when I wake up tomorrow!" He barked. "And you!" He fired his eyes at Hanna. "You touch me again, and I swear I'll buy a black seal and use it on you!"

"Um...Bishop?" Mark said.

"What?" Bishop spat.

"Can I use your bathroom? I am kind of sweaty..."

Bishop cursed at his bad luck silently. "Fine. You can use the bathroom". With that last words, he slammed the door shut once more.

Hanna said good night, and wondered off somewhere, since as a ghost, she didn't need to sleep. Mark set his cat ears on the coffee table, and trudged to the bathroom with his pack for a shower.

He leaned on his hands against the shower wall with his head bent a little, and his eyes closed. The hot water felt good as it hit his back, washing away the sweat and the clamminess. His shoulders drooped from the weight of his weariness, and his guilt; his guilt for Haru, for Vaughn, and for the little girl, whom he had never even met. Why me, he thought, as he exhaled sharply; furrows formed in the space between his brows. He raised his face to meet the water sprays. If only the water could wash away his shortcomings and self-doubt, like the way it washed away sweat and dirt, he thought. If only...

After the shower, he put on his pajama, and pulled out his toothbrush from his backpack. He almost doubled in tears, as he stared at the toothbrush in his hand: the Witch Princess had packed Vaughn's toothbrush, instead of his. Stop that, he mentally slapped himself. It is just a stupid toothbrush.

When he was done brushing his teeth, he went back to the living room, pulled out the bed out of the couch, and fell onto it tiredly. He fingered his lily pendant, and wondered for a few seconds, if Vaughn missed him, as much as he missed the wolf man. What am I thinking, he thought. No one would miss me. Not his parents, they were long dead. Not his aunt, he had not heard from her, ever since she sold him to the Silver Wolfe's clan. Not Vaughn, because he would soon be happily married, with beautiful children. Not Han, because Han has Shea.

The loneliness slammed him hard, so strong and sudden. It prodded and cornered him, until he curled into a tight ball under the blanket. There was a well of tears building behind his eyes, on the verge of overflowing, so he shut his eyes tight, trying to prevent the waters from spilling out...

* * *

><p><span>Day 2<span>

Mark tossed and turned all night, and was relieved when he realized that the dawn was breaking. He got up and padded towards the bathroom for a shower. After the shower, he set up the coffee machine.

"Morning," Hanna said cheerfully, as she passed through the wall into the kitchen. "Did you sleep okay?" She peered at the blond's face. "Uh...I guess not. You look terrible".

"Morning, Hanna. Trust me, I feel even worse," he said, as he opened and closed the kitchen cabinets, and the fridge, looking for any cooking ingredients. But other than instant ramen noodles, beer and coffee, there was no other food stuff in the house. Ramen for breakfast it is then, he told himself. He filled a kettle with water from the kitchen tap, and set it on the stove to boil.

"This house really is a pig sty!" Hanna said, looking around her with disgust. "Seriously, how could anyone live like this?"

"Yeah, I don't know how he does it," Mark said. He cleared the kitchen table from all the garbage, and wiped it. He set up two bowls of instant ramen noodles on the tables, each with a pair of clean chopstick, the last two clean pairs he could find in the kitchen drawers. Then even without realizing what he was doing, he started to wash the dirty dishes in the sink. Hanna watched him with an amusement on her face.

"I know what you can do," she said. "You can become Bishop's housekeeper in exchange for training. What do you think?"

Mark sighed. Haru, he thought. You told me once that everyone can do something, that everyone has something to offer. Well, he thought ruefully, apparently the only thing I am good for, is to cook and clean after difficult grown men. He was mulling over that idea when he heard noises. Both Mark and Hanna turned around, in time to see Bishop ambling out of the bedroom. "Morning," he greeted Bishop.

"Coffee..." Bishop ignored Mark, and poured himself a cup. He sipped the coffee and sighed. "Better..." he whispered, then he leaned towards Mark, sniffing him. "You smell nice," he muttered with a still sleepy voice.

Mark wrinkled his nose. Bishop had stunk like sweat and stale beer. "Yes, that's because I showered. You should too," Mark said, moving away, taking his own coffee mug with him. He heard the kettle whistling, "I'll get breakfast ready," he told the other man, as he poured the boiling water into the ramen bowls. "Are you going to shower?"

Bishop mumbled something unintelligible, while sauntering towards the bathroom. A minute later, the sound of water flowing could be heard. When Bishop finished his morning routine, and emerged from the bathroom, the first thing he noticed was the two steaming bowls of noodles set on the clean table, with a pair of chopsticks beside each bowl. Looking at the ramen, his stomach had grumbled. But then he remembered something. "You are still here," he frowned accusingly at Mark, who was standing in front of the kitchen sink, washing dishes.

"I really need your help..." Mark turned his face towards Bishop. His jaw dropped to the ground. "What...what...what are you doing?" The blond stammered. "Put on some clothes! Don't walk around naked!" His face colored instantly, as he averted his eyes.

"Oh..." Bishop said, looking down at himself. He had forgotten that he had other people in his house as he walked out of the bathroom. But then he glared defiantly at Mark. "It's my house," he said. "I walk around naked if I want to," he continued, before disappearing into his own bedroom, closing the door behind him.

"Sheesh..." Mark's ears were turning red. "Seriously..."

"Did you check out his...er, butt?" Hanna said, speaking in a low voice. "Pretty nice, huh?"

Mark had looked shocked.

"Hey...I am not blind, you know," she raised her hands in front of her. There was a wide, goofy grin on her face. "Besides, a girl has needs. Even a dead one..."

"I guess..." Mark sounded unsure. He didn't have many female friends so women were a mystery to him. He went back to his dish washing.

Bishop re-emerged from his room, fully clothed this time. He sat at the kitchen table without saying anything, and started to eat. Mark sat across the table from him, eating his breakfast as well.

"Um, I was wondering...how about if I clean and cook for you, in exchange for you helping me?" Mark looked around him, mentally calculating how much time he would need to clean up the dirt and the clutter.

Bishop followed Mark's green eyes, and looked around the house as well. There was a puzzled expression on his face, as if he didn't quite understand what was so bad about his living condition. He shrugged. "I am always working in my workshop. I don't have time to clean".

"That's why you need a housekeeper," Hanna said. She pointed at Mark with her thumb, shielding her mouth from the blond with her hand, and talking to Bishop in a low, conspiratorial voice, "He is well-trained, trust me. I saw him doing the dishes already this morning without being asked".

Bishop glared at Mark, and then at Hanna. "No," he said brusquely.

"But..."

"I am going to work in the barn. I better not find you here when I got back..." Bishop cut Mark off, as he rose and walked out of the house.

"Bishop, wait! You have to help me. The Goddess said that the whole world depends on this..." Mark trailed behind Bishop who strode quickly on the dirt path towards the barn. "Please, listen to me. There is a girl in trouble..." He was cut short, as Bishop kicked the barn door closed in front of the blond's face. Not giving up yet, Mark re-opened the door and stepped inside. "A girl is in trouble..." He flinched, as Bishop threw a wrench at him, barely missing his head. When he saw Bishop reaching for a hammer, he bolted out of the barn as fast as he could. He heard the door slammed behind him.

"Shit! That was close!" Mark said, after he put a safe distance between him and the angry man inside barn. His face was pale, and he was shaking a little.

"What are we going to do now?" Hanna said.

He struggled for a moment to collect himself. Then he said, "I am going to get some groceries, and then I am going to clean the house..."

"Atta boy!" She cheered. "I know where the grocery store is. I found it yesterday night, when I was wandering around. Let's go! I'll take you there!"

They went to the village nearby Bishop's house, located at the bottom of the hill, to shop for groceries, and other supplies. When they got back from the shopping trip, Mark started to clean the filthy house: washing the floor and windows, scrubbing the bathroom and kitchen, dusting and straightened clutters, throwing out lots of garbage. Hanna floated around him to keep him company, while he was doing his chores. She chatted easily with him, telling him mostly about her life before her death. Although Mark was making the right noises, at the right time, to respond to her stories, she could tell that he wasn't all there. Through the cracks on that lacquer of polite smile, she thought she could almost see troubled thoughts boiled and bubbled.

"What are you thinking?"

"Nothing...I was just wondering if Vaughn had breakfast, and what he had for breakfast..." Mark said absently. Then he blushed a little. "Did I just say something stupid?" He shot a questioning look at Hanna.

"No, you didn't," Hanna shook her head. "I am not trying to pry, but...are you gay?" She peered at him closely.

Mark was turning redder. "Is it obvious?"

"Well, not really, at first. But then you started to talk about Vaughn, and you had this faraway, silly look, whenever you mentioned him. It was obvious that you like him. Is he your boyfriend?"

"Yes, he is," Mark answered. But Hanna thought that he didn't sound sure. She was about to open her mouth to ask when Mark said, "What...what time is it?" He glanced at the clock on the wall. "I think I better put together some lunch for Bishop". He proceeded to put together an egg and veggie sandwich, and a thermos of coffee. Hanna left him alone, as he didn't look as if he was in the mood for talking.

Mark brought the sandwich and the coffee to the barn. "Lunch is here," he said, as he pulled open the barn door, cautiously. His eyes darted around to make sure that there was no tool aiming for his head.

Bishop looked up when he heard Mark coming in. He pushed his goggles up, letting them to rest on top of his head. There was already some grease on his face. "Didn't I tell you to leave? Why are you still here?" There were daggers in his eyes.

"I...um, I brought lunch. And coffee..."

Fortunately for Mark, that Bishop's stomach growled in response. The dark-haired man stared at his own stomach with a mixture of scorn and disbelief for a couple of seconds. "Fine. I'll eat your lunch," he told Mark angrily, taking off his work gloves, and dropping them carelessly on the floor. Mark handed him the plate with the sandwich, which he accepted with a frown. "You went and bought groceries?" He shot the shorter man a puzzled look.

"Yup," Mark said, as he poured out some coffee from the thermos into a tin mug. He offered the mug to Bishop.

Bishop sipped the coffee and sighed. "I needed that," he said, as he sat on a stool, the only stool in the barn. He put his mug on the work counter nearby the stool, and bit into his sandwich.

Now that Bishop was busy eating, and didn't seem trying to kill him, Mark relaxed, and looked around the barn.

The barn had been turned into a small workshop. Lining one side of the walls, where he and Bishop were, there was a long counter with scarred wooden counter top and drawers. The counter was cluttered with cogwheel gears, nuts, bolts, screws, and other things that Mark didn't recognize. The wall behind the counter was covered with hooks of different sizes: with varieties of wrenches, screwdrivers, and hammers, hanging from them. Chains and hooks hanging down from the ceiling, suspended by some sort of pulley systems. Pieces of metal pipes, and even more gears and screws, littered the floor. But what caught Mark's eyes, was a contraption standing in the middle of the workshop.

The contraption looked like a giant silver swan. The top of its back was hollowed out to accommodate two passenger compartments. It was standing on four wheels, and a propeller was installed at its rear end. Its wings were spread out and up, to show the Swan's stomach opened to some sort of engine bay. Under the overhead light, the Swan had a lustrous shine. Its graceful, long neck was gleaming silver, and its glossy head bowed thoughtfully, as if it was absorbed in a contemplative meditation. Its wings were made of hundreds, nay, _thousands_, of paper thin, metallic feathers. As Mark moved around to admire the beautiful bird, the light bounced off the feathers in flares and sparkles.

"What is this?" Mark said, pointing at the Swan.

"My newest flying machine," Bishop answered. He sounded proud.

"Flying machine?" Mark's eyes were growing bigger with awe. He had never seen a flying machine before. "It can fly, seriously?"

"Sure," Bishop said. "When it is done..."

"No way!" Mark exclaimed. He eyed Bishop curiously, and wondered, how a man as rough as he, could create something so elegant and magical. Then looking around, Mark asked, "What do you do, Bishop?"

"I am a mechanic. I fix things for the villagers, and build steam machines". Bishop wolfed down his lunch. As he chewed, his eyes caught the mark on Mark's right palm. "You are a soul keeper," he said, as-a-matter-of-fact, talking with his mouth full.

"Yes, I am". Mark flicked his eyes towards Bishop's right hand, but he couldn't see if there was any soul keeper mark on it, as the tin mug was blocking his view. "Are you?" He asked.

"Used to. Not anymore," Bishop shrugged. He stuffed the rest of his sandwich into his mouth.

Mark raised his eyebrows. "What happened to your wolf?"

Bishop didn't respond for a second or two. Then he said, "Lunch time is over, kid. I gotta do some work. Out!" He pulled down the goggles to cover his eyes, and put his work gloves back on, signaling the end of the conversation. Mark carried the empty plate with him, and traced his way out of the barn.

After he washed the lunch dishes, Mark did the laundry, and hung them outside in the warm winter afternoon to dry. He let out a long sigh, and wiped the sweat off his forehead, admiring his work. As he watched the wind zigzagged among the laundry, releasing a fresh smell, he wondered about destiny. He wondered if his dreams were telling him that the world was fated to end because of his shortcomings. Tell me, dear Goddess, he sent out a silent prayer, can you fight destiny? Can you fight fate?

He stopped by the barn in the late afternoon to ask Bishop if he needed any snack, to which Bishop had shouted that he didn't need any. Furthermore, he told Mark to leave already, and then he hurled the empty coffee thermos at the boy. But Mark was ready this time. He caught the thermos deftly somehow, thanked Bishop for it, and bolted out of the workshop before Bishop could throw something else at him.

When Bishop went back into the house that evening, he was taken aback as he stepped through the front door. At first he thought that he had entered the wrong house. There was no more dust or spiderwebs. The windows, and all the surfaces were gleaming, and the floor had been scrubbed clean. There was a smell of pine, lemon and something good cooking in the air.

"Hey," Mark greeted him. The blond boy was standing near the stove, wearing a new apron tied around his waist, talking to Hanna, who was leaning on the kitchen counter. "Take off your shoes," he added, staring at Bishop's dirty work boots. "No dirty shoes on clean floor". He slipped on the oven mitts, and took the bubbling vegetable gratin out of the oven.

Bishop glared at Mark, but he moved to take his boots off, and set them by the door.

Mark placed the veggie gratin on the kitchen table. "What do you think? Looks much cleaner, huh?" He gave Bishop a pointed look, as he waved his hand around the house.

"Not bad," Bishop shrugged.

"Sooo...you are going to help me?" Mark said, hopefully.

Bishop ignored him, and marched into the bathroom instead.

Mark set up two plates, eating utensils, and a basket of dinner rolls on the table. "I remember when Vaughn and I started to live together," he spoke to Hanna. He told the girl about how Vaughn had wanted to see the world, and to live on his own. So, they had left the Silver Wolfe's house, a few months after the soul keeper bonding ritual, and traveled all over, just the two of them. After few months of traveling or so, they decided to live in the Island for a while. Mark decided to try his hand at farming, while Vaughn got himself a job as an animal trader.

For awhile, Vaughn kept his own apartment, but he came to the farm house for dinner, whenever he wasn't traveling for his work. Also, Mark told Hanna, Vaughn didn't like full moons very much, and every full moon he would spend the night at the farmhouse. Mark would even let the Silver Wolf to sleep on his bed, in his wolf form of course, since the wolf seemed to be agitated during the full moon. He would scratch the wolf's ears to calm him, or until the beast fell asleep.

Then one day, Vaughn mentioned nonchalantly, about how he should move into the farmhouse, since he seemed to spend all his free time there anyway. He also pointed out that most soul keepers lived with their wolves. Mark had agreed. The farmhouse was big enough, and he had a spare bedroom.

Recalling that memory, Mark felt his chest tightened. I would give anything to go back to those times, he thought. Those were the happy times, just the two of them: hanging out, joking around, teasing each other, and soothing the upset wolf in his arms through the nights drenched in moon rays...he shook his head to clear his thoughts.

"But you know the real reason why I let him moved into the farmhouse?"

Hanna shook her head, leaning towards Mark.

"Because, he doesn't like to eat vegetables. Especially carrots. A lot of times, he would flatly refuse to eat vegetables. So I figure, if he stays with me, I can cook healthy meals for him. I can make sure that he eats his veggies..." There was a glint in Mark's eyes, as he counted with his fingers, all the ways he had used to slip the vegetables into the wolf man's meals: minced veggies in stew, boiled veggies mashed into potatoes, finely chopped veggies slathered in cheese sauce, and so on.

Hanna's eyes widened. "You are evil!" She exclaimed. Then she laughed out loud. "I like it! Oh, I like _you_!"

"You _are_ evil. Good thing I like to eat anything". Hanna and Mark whipped their heads towards the bathroom to see Bishop leaning against the door frame. He had been listening at their conversation. He was wearing a towel wrapped tightly around his waist, and a smirk on his face. Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on your point of view, the towel Bishop was wearing was not very big. It stretched tightly around his lower body, leaving little to imagination. "I feel sorry for that Vaughn guy," he added, as he went into his bedroom to dress.

"Okay, I change my mind," Hanna said with a low voice. "I prefer him wearing that itsy-bitsy towel, rather than completely naked". She saw the look Mark gave her, and burst out in a gaudy laugh. "Oh, come on, don't give me that look. What's wrong with looking? Bishop obviously doesn't care. And he cleans up nicely, don't you think?" She ran her fingers through her short, fiery hair, making it sticking out all over the place. There was a mischievous smile in her green eyes, and that smile was contagious. Mark couldn't help, but to smile back.

After Bishop dressed himself, he and Mark sat to dinner, while Hanna hovered in the background around the kitchen. Bishop seemed startled, as he took the first bite. Then he started to shove more food into his mouth.

"Good?" Mark asked, as he offered Bishop the bread basket.

"Uh uh..." Bishop's voice was muffled by the food in his mouth. He took a dinner roll out of the basket.

The corner of Mark's mouth curved into a small smile, as he stole glances at Bishop, who was eating enthusiastically. Well, at least he is not picky about food, Mark thought. They didn't say much to each other for the rest of dinner.

When he finished his dinner, Mark got up to collect the dinner dishes. "You are an elemental, aren't you, Bishop?What is your element?" He said, as he moved back and forth between the table and the sink, carrying dirty dinner dishes and putting them in the kitchen sink.

"Wind." Bishop rose from his chair, opened the fridge, and grabbed a beer.

"Really? I am a wind elemental as well..." Mark said, as he started to wash the dishes. "You haven't told me what happened to your wolf. Is he okay? Is he still...alive?" He asked tentatively, glancing at Bishop, who was drinking his beer while leaning against the fridge.

Bishop didn't say anything for a moment, keeping his mouth full by gulping his beer a little too fast. "He died five years ago," finally he answered, gruffly.

"I am sorry..."

Bishop's hand stopped mid-way. "Don't be," he said evenly, avoiding Mark's eyes. "It was a long time ago". Then his hand continued to bring the beer bottle to his mouth.

"What happened?"

"I am tired. I am going to go to bed," Bishop said, as he started towards his bedroom. "By the way," he looked over his shoulder at Mark. "Don't get too comfortable. You are _not_ staying". With that he disappeared into his bedroom with his beer bottle.

Mark woke up with a jolt that night. His dream was back. Unconsciously, he reached out for Vaughn beside him, only to find that there was an empty space there. For a moment, he felt a growing panic, as his eyes darted around the room, not finding Vaughn, and not recognizing where he was, until he remembered that he was in Bishop's house. He told himself to breathe and to calm down, but his gut was souring with dread, and there was a film of cold sweat on his forehead.

Why did that girl choose me, he wondered. Someone strong would be able to pull this off, and come out unharmed, he thought. But not him, not a weak elemental like him; he would surely fail. In his dreams, he couldn't do anything against the darkness that had come for him and the girl. He had dealt with spirits before, but never one that had so much malice, so much spite, so much anger. There was a terrifying hunger in that blackness, a hunger that threatened to devour anything, and everything on its path. The tainted one had hurt him, and scared him so much, that he thought he might die if he kept hanging onto the girl.

In the dreams. his survival instinct had kicked in, and he had chosen himself over the girl, his life over hers. In the darkness of the night, when he looked into his own heart, he found it shallow and wanting. He couldn't draw enough courage, or enough strength, or altruism of a heroic proportion. His eyes stung, as he realized, that when the time came, he might, just might, choose himself over the world.

These are the whys I would fail, he counted the ways. Because I am weak. Because I am not brave enough. Because I am not as selfless, as heroes ought to be...

End of Chapter 27


	28. Ch28:My Back is Not Strong Enough Part 2

Chapter 28: My Back Is Not Strong Enough Part 2

Day 3

That morning, while he was shaving, after his shower, Bishop finally decided that he had enough. Today, he thought resolutely, would be the day he would definitely kick Hanna and Mark out of his house. He nodded to himself, feeling pleased knowing that today, once more, he would return to his peaceful, brat-free life.

He was so sure there was nothing Mark and Hanna could do to change his mind, that he hadn't foreseen being ambushed by a barrage of wonderful smells and sight. The smells of coffee, cinnamon and brown sugar assaulted his nose, and the tall stack of golden french toasts on a platter set on the kitchen table, commandeered his attention, like a shining beacon in a dark night. For a second or two, he had completely forgotten of what he was supposed to say to his uninvited squatters. For a moment, all he could muster was a bewildered look, and when he finally thought that he had recovered his wits, his stomach started to rumble.

"Stop that", Bishop hissed at the shameless noise maker. "Stop being such an undignified simpleton, who can easily be bribed by food!" Unfortunately for him, his stomach was more stubborn, and louder, than his brain. He fought his rebellious stomach valiantly, as he headed towards his bedroom to dress. However, with every step he took, with every piece of clothing he put on, he found himself losing the battle of the wills. Minutes later, he finally surrendered, finding himself fully dressed, and sitting at the table, heaping his plate with french toasts, and drenching them with honey. With his first bite, he sighed blissfully.

"Fine, you win. But it is only because breakfast is the most important meal of the day," Bishop argued with his own gut. He wouldn't be swayed so easily at lunch or dinner time, he thought, and that would be the time when he would surely, definitely, without question, kick Hanna and Mark out of his house.

"Tell me, is he talking to his stomach?" Hanna whispered to Mark.

"I think so," he whispered back, watching Bishop wearily. "But he had seemed so normal and sane at first, don't you think?"

"What was that?" Bishop raised his eyes from his breakfast.

"Er...nothing, nothing". Mark shook his head. "How is the french toast?"

"It's okay," Bishop shrugged. Then, talking and chewing at the same time, he said, "How old are you?"

"Twenty," Mark answered. "And you?" Bishop had seemed to be anywhere from five to ten years older than him.

"You don't look twenty," the other man said, ignoring Mark's question. "You look eighteen. And if I don't know that you are a soul keeper, I would say you look seventeen".

"You said you used to be a soul keeper. Which clan did you belong to?" Mark cut his french toast into neat, bite-size pieces. He put a piece into his mouth, and chewed. He was glad that he had decided to add cinnamon into the egg batter, as it definitely added a little extra something. He made a mental note to remember that, the next time he made french toasts for Vaughn. Stop that, he grimaced, as he slapped himself mentally on the forehead. Stop thinking about him during every waking moment.

"The Crimson Wolfe's. You?" Bishop responded, as he stuffed the last of his breakfast into his mouth.

"The Silver Wolfe's clan". Mark leaned back on his chair and sipped his coffee. "Why did you become a soul keeper?"

"I am going to work in the barn," Bishop said, gulping the rest of his coffee, and rising from his chair. "Don't bother me, unless you want to lose a limb, or two". He shot Mark with what he hoped, was a fierce, threatening look. However, he couldn't quite manage to pull the angry look, as his full stomach made him feel nice and warm.

"Don't worry, I won't. I'll deliver lunch around noon, but I won't bother you for the rest of the day..." Mark said, as he followed Bishop out with his eyes. "You know, Vaughn is also not a morning person," he said to Hanna, as he frowned at the milky brown liquid, in the mug that he was holding. "I usually leave him alone in the morning, until he had his first cup of coffee". He sighed. It occurred to him that he sighed a lot in these past few days. "And black...Vaughn take his coffee black..." he voiced his thoughts out loud. Then he chastised himself for being so mopey. He didn't have time to be sad, he told himself, for he had chores to do.

Mark kept his morning busy by washing the breakfast dishes, dusting, sweeping the floor, wiping out the stove, kitchen counters and table. He scrubbed the bath tub and the shower again, as Bishop seemed to shed a lot of grease and dirt in the shower.

Hanna tried to lighten his mood by recounting how she and Denny had met, when they were both children. Denny had seen her one day at the beach with her fishing pole, and had obnoxiously assumed, that he could teach the little red-haired girl a few things about fishing. She had let him, and then proceeded to beat him during their town annual fishing competition. Denny was surprised, but had taken his loss in a stride; he had even joked about it. They became fast friends since then.

"Although, now that I think about it. I think I just got lucky during that competition. Denny was just as good as I was, or better. But I was luckier," she winked at Mark, which earned her a smile out of the brooding young man. "I have never told him that though. As far as he is concerned, I am _the_ supreme fishing goddess". She chuckled. This time she was rewarded with a short laugh from the blond.

Between the chores and conversations, the morning passed in a blur. The next time Mark raised his eyes to scan the clock on the wall, it was time to make lunch. He washed his hands, and quickly put together a lunch and a thermos of coffee for Bishop.

"Lunch is here," Mark said, as he opened the barn door and slipped inside.

Bishop pushed his goggles up, and stared at the blond for a couple of seconds without blinking, without saying anything. Finally, he asked: "Why are you wearing a pot on your head?"

"Oh this?" Mark pointed at the cooking pot he was wearing as a helmet nonchalantly, as if he had just noticed it. "This is to protect me, just in case you want to throw something at me". He handed Bishop a bowl of fried eggs over rice. "Genius, huh?" Mark gave the pot a couple of knocks. "Now you can't hurt me," he added with a triumph.

Bishop turned his back against Mark, holding the rice bowl in one hand, and trying hard to subdue the chuckle that was bubbling up his throat. His shoulders shook a little from the effort. The pot covered most of Mark's head; his eyes were just peeking out underneath. The pot's short handles, were poking out above Mark's ears, like two stubby horns, curving downward. When he finally calmed down, Bishop turned back to face the boy. "You look ridiculous," he pointed out. He sat on the stool and started to eat.

"I don't care how I look," Mark said with a shrug. "But I care about having my head not being cracked open by a hammer or a wrench".

Bishop smirked. "That's what you get for invading someone's house," he said gruffly, as he shoved rice and eggs into his mouth. He loved the fact that the eggs were fried in butter, and that the white rice was fluffy, like clouds.

"What's the name of your wolf?" Mark asked, changing the topic of conversation, totally ignoring Bishop's accusation that he had invaded another man's house.

Talking with his mouth full as usual, Bishop stated, "Liam, the Azure Wolf".

"Azure Wolf, that's a nice name".

Bishop nodded. "He had the most beautiful blue hair. You have to see it. It was brilliant blue, with purplish highlights. The prettiest hair I have ever seen. His hair reminded me of the Blue Mist flower..." His voice trailed, as he lost himself in a memory.

"Well, Vaughn has a beautiful hair, too. His is silvery, soft and silky. And he makes a very beautiful wolf. Very elegant..." Mark said, not willing to be outdone.

"Not as beautiful as Liam, I bet". Bishop shrugged. "His wolf form was pure awesomeness!"

"You have never seen Vaughn. Trust me, he is probably the most beautiful wolf in the world," Mark retorted.

Bishop dismissed the boy with a wave of his hand. "If my Liam is still alive, _he_ will be the most beautiful wolf in the world".

Mark thought that Bishop's face dropped its guard for a split second, and he swore that he saw sorrow on the other man's naked eyes. He softened his voice, and said, "How did he die?"

"I have to go back to work," Bishop returned stiffly. Instantly, his face was closed again, and the eyes were flat. "By the way, has anyone ever told you how rude it is to stay at someone's house uninvited?" He glowered at the younger man, as he pulled down his goggles.

"I am not going anywhere until you help me," Mark countered. He collected Bishop's lunch bowl and walked towards the door.

"Why, you little punk!" Bishop growled, as he flung a loose screw at the blond, which hit the pot of course, instead of the back of Mark's head. Not stopping his stride, Mark turned his head around, gave Bishop a smug smirk, and a pointed look which said: hah, you can't hurt me!

It took all of Mark's self control not to stick his tongue out at Bishop.

Unfortunately, because he was busy taunting Bishop, Mark wasn't looking at where he was going. When he finally turned his head forward, he walked right into a wall. He staggered backward, from the impact of the pot hitting the wall hard, and had looked a little stunned.

Bishop snorted out loud, slapping his own thigh. "Mark, lose the pot. Seriously, you look weird. I won't throw anything at you anymore. I promise. Just lose the pot". Mark merely glared at Bishop, as he straightened the pot on his head. Then he stepped out of the barn with his head held high, knowing that it would be safe inside his pot helmet.

"Cheeky brat..." Bishop's face twisted into a smirk, as he followed the blond with his eyes. He couldn't decide whether Mark was being smart, or being a smart _ass_. Then a thought hit him. "You would think he is being clever, wouldn't you, Liam?" He muttered to himself, letting out a long sigh. "You would have liked him..." He shook his head, trying to clear his mind, and immersed himself in his work once again...

It was early evening when Bishop got home, and as soon as he stepped inside, he was greeted with a delicious aroma. He inhaled deeply, savoring the lovely smells intermingling in the air: spicy onion, sweet tomatoes and savory herbs. Before he realized it, his mouth watered. But then he remembered the reason why his house was filled with this lovely fragrance: it was because his pesky, unwanted guests were still here. He shot a murderous glance at Mark and Hanna who were standing in front of the stove, as a way of greeting, and made his way towards the bathroom.

"Don't forget to bring a change of clothes this time," Mark said, but Bishop ignored him.

"Oh, come on. I like the free show," Hanna grinned from ear to ear. "He has a nice body. A little on the skinny side, but still nice nevertheless".

"You know, you remind me of someone," Mark said, as he turned his attention back to his tomato risotto, stirring it gently.

"Really?" Hanna said. "Who? Is she as cool as me?"

"The Witch Princess. Both of you have your minds in the gutter," he answered, solemnly, trying hard not to grin back at Hanna. "She is very ancient, but she looks very young. And she does whatever she wants..." He recounted how the Witch Princess often materialized in his old kitchen without warning, and scared the begoddess out of him.

"Yes, I remember her," Hanna said. "I only met her once, but I think she is cool".

Mark contemplated a thought in silence for a few seconds before he said, "Hanna, you were sick for awhile, weren't you?" He kept his eyes on his simmering tomato risotto, while his hand stirring it with a wooden spoon.

"Yeah, I was sick for few months, or so..."

"Were you...were you...afraid? Of dying?" He asked timidly.

Hanna reflected for a moment, before she answered, "Yes I was. Of course, I was. Why do you ask?"

"But, don't souls get reborn?"

"Yes. However, the Goddess would wipe your memory and personality when your soul is reborn, so you will become a totally new person. She said it is a way for a soul to have a clean slate. To me though," Hanna's face darkened. Her jovial mood evaporated. "The day I am reborn, will be the day I truly die".

Mark flicked his eyes at her. "Why is that?"

"Because the me that I know now, will cease to exist, and a new person will take my place. This new person may not think like me, feel like me, or have my personality. This person will not have the same life, family, or friends. So to my thinking, this person is not me at all. I will finally die the eternal death, and another person will live using this...so-called soul". Hanna placed a protective hand on her chest, where she thought her heart would be. "Do you understand?"

"I think so..." Mark nodded, pursing his lips and furrowing his brows. "It's kind of scary, whichever way you look at it. Your first or your last death..."

"Yeah..." She sighed. "The Goddess said the Rebirth Day is supposed to be a joyous occasion". Her face twitched in distaste. "Everybody in The Other is looking forward to the day they will be reborn. Not me..."

"I am sorry. I...you probably think that I don't understand, because I am still alive," Mark said. "But I do. I do understand what you are going through..." He had wanted say something more comforting, because Hanna had looked so sad, but he was tongue-tied. "Is...is there anything I can do to make you feel better?"

Hanna shook her head. "Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do for me, Mark". She was looking grim. "But thanks for the thought. Don't worry about me". Then she saw a flurry of expressions fleeting across Mark's face: first there was sadness, and then fear, and finally, doubt.

"You know Hanna," Mark bit his lower lip. "Even if Bishop helped me, I am not sure if I can get stronger. I have gone through the training at the soul keeper compound, and I am still very weak. I don't know what Bishop can do for me..."

"You will get stronger. Bishop will help you, I am sure of it," she returned, without hesitation.

"How can you be so sure of anything?" He said in a quiet voice, keeping his eyes on the simmering pot. "What if I failed? What if the world ended because of me? Why did that girl choose me? Why can't she choose someone stronger?"

"Whoa...slow down there..." Hanna raised her hands. "Not that many questions at once". She raked her fingers through her short hair. "Why that girl picked you, I don't know. All I know is that, the Goddess and the girl believe in you. And that's good enough for me. Besides, there are many souls waiting to be reborn into _this_ world," she smiled. "So you see, you can't fail, Mark. In the Other, a lot of us are rooting for you".

"But I did fail..." Mark whispered.

The ghost hovered closer. "What did you say?"

"I did give up. In my dreams, I gave up, I let go, every single time. I _failed_, every single time..."

For a moment, Hanna was speechless. "But...it was just a dream, right? Maybe it is just like, you know, one possibility of many. When the time comes, I am sure you won't give up. When the times comes, you won't let go". Hanna locked her eyes with Mark's. Not knowing what else to say, she added, "I believe in you, Mark".

Mark felt a stab at his chest, and made a face. "I really wish you didn't say that," he said. "Because I don't...I don't think I can do it. I don't believe in myself. And...and I don't want to die..."

Hanna waited for him to continue.

"The dark creature...It...it tore me apart. It was painful, and I thought that I was going to die if I hang on, so I...I let go. I am afraid, Hanna..." Mark's hand closed around his lily pendant tightly, turning his knuckles white. His voice shook a little, and his eyes started to water. "I-I am scared. I don't want to die..."

He stopped abruptly, as he felt someone else watching him. He turned his eyes towards the bathroom, to find that Bishop was once again, listening to their conversation. The latter had of course, came out of the shower wearing a little towel, and was now leaning at the bathroom door frame, arms crossed in front of his chest. Not knowing what else he was supposed to do, Mark turned his back against the half-naked man. He rubbed his eyes roughly with the back of his fist, while stirring his risotto with renewed attention. Only when he heard the bedroom door closed, only then, he stopped stirring. He reached out for two bowls from the kitchen cabinet above his head, and started to divide the risotto between the bowls. He set the bowls on the kitchen table.

Few minutes later Bishop re-emerged from his room, and sat at the table. Just like yesterday night, he and Mark ate their dinner while not talking much. Then Bishop broke the silence by saying, "Did you say that you need to become stronger, so you can help some little girls or something?"

Mark told him about his dreams, about the Mother Tree, and what the Harvest Goddess had asked him to do. He fought hard to keep his voice even.

Bishop sighed tiredly. "...I guess you can stay for a couple more days".

"You will help me?" Mark perked up.

"I didn't say anything about helping you. All I am saying, is that I am letting you stay in my house for a couple more days..." Bishop frowned, reflecting on a thought. "I don't know why the Goddess sent you to me..." He paused. "...after Liam died, I couldn't summon my wind anymore. I...I don't know why. So you see, how am I supposed to help you, if I can't even help myself? If I can't even use my element anymore?"

"You...you can't summon...your wind anymore?" The blond stuttered. He couldn't believe his ears. He always thought that it had nothing to do with the wolves. He could summon his wind, even before he was bound to Vaughn. "But, but...the Goddess said..."

"Look," Bishop cut him off, curtly. His voice was rising, as he continued, "I am still an elemental. I could still feel the magic in my blood, but I am a broken elemental, okay?". He looked at the speechless Mark, and lowered his voice a little, just a little. "I don't know what the Goddess told you, but you are wasting your time..."

"Well, the Goddess obviously thinks that you know something..." Hanna interjected.

Bishop shot Hanna and Mark a blistering look. "Have you two been listening to a single word I said? How many times do I have to repeat myself? I can't help you! You can stay here for a couple more days if you want, but you are wasting your time!"

"You...you really can't help me?" Mark was still in disbelief. Goddess, what the hell are you doing, he thought. He wondered if he had been sent on a wild goose chase...

"We are staying," Hanna's voice was firm. "You know something, Bishop, regardless of whether or not you can use your magic. I think you know something that will help Mark. Maybe you just don't realize it yet. Or maybe, you just don't want to tell us. Whatever it is, Mark and I are staying until you help us!" She saw the doubt on Mark's face. "We are staying," she repeated, stubbornly. "I have given my words to the Goddess that I will help you, so I am going to make sure that you'll stay, and that Bishop will help you".

Bishop shrugged. "Whatever, I don't know anything. And even if it is true that I know something, there is no guarantee that you'll get stronger". He looked pointedly at Mark. "You could be a weak elemental, no matter how much you try. Have you ever thought about that? It happens. Nothing I can do".

"Of course that thought had crossed my mind," Mark sighed. "But I don't have a choice". He rose from his seat, and collected the the dinner dishes. "For some mysterious reasons, apparently I have been singled out to carry the whole world on my back". He opened the hot water tap in the kitchen sink, and squirted some dish washing soap. "So don't worry, Bishop. If the world ends tomorrow, it won't be your fault," he said softly, his eyes watching the soap bubbles forming and popping in the sink, his hands gripping the kitchen counter. "It will be mine..."

Yeah, that's it, isn't it? Mark thought, as he tossed and turned in his bed that night. You are trying to pin the blame for the end of the world on me, he accused the Goddess furiously. You_ knew_, you knew all along that Bishop couldn't help me, that I would fail. You said you are helping me by sending me to Bishop, but you lied, didn't you? Didn't you, Goddess? What have I done to deserve this, he asked Her savagely. I only went to The Other because I wanted to save Vaughn! Was that really so wrong? I don't deserve this!

He railed, and railed, feeling rage building inside him. He asked the Goddess, and pleaded earnestly for an answer.

But She was silent.

Mark took Her silence, as a proof of Her _indifference_ to his suffering. The thought enraged him even more, and stoked the angry coals burning in the pit of his stomach. The smoke from the coals reached his eyes, and without warning, he burst into red, hot tears.

End of Chapter 28


	29. Ch29:My Back is Not Strong Enough Part 3

Chapter 29: My Back Is Not Strong Enough Part 3

Day 4

"Morning," Mark greeted Bishop with a scowl, as the latter staggered out of the bedroom. The blond soul keeper was not in the best of mood, as he had not slept much in the past three nights, and there was still a residual rage smoldering in his belly from last night. Even Hanna sensed his prickly mood, and had wisely chosen to stay quiet, and out of his way.

Bishop ignored Mark. He lurched towards the coffee pot, and poured himself a cup. As he sipped the hot, fresh coffee, he sighed blissfully.

"Are you going to shower first, or have breakfast?" Mark asked, sounding a little tenser than he had intended. He poured the last of the pancake batter into the frying pan.

"Don't boss me around," Bishop growled, as he headed towards the bathroom. Soon, the shower was turned on.

"Sheesh..." Mark shook his head, flipping the pancake. "He forgot to bring a change of clothes to the bathroom again, didn't he?" He glared at Hanna, as if it was her fault that Bishop had forgotten.

"Yeah..." Hanna said, with a sly smile forming at the corner of her lips. She didn't catch the terseness in Mark's voice, or the look he threw her.

"I think I saw a bathrobe in his room yesterday, when I was making his bed," Mark said, wrinkling his forehead. "From now on, I think I am going to put that bathrobe for him in the bathroom". He flipped the pancake on the plate. Then he moved around, setting the table for breakfast, spreading a sense of gloom and doom with every passing minute.

"Oh, come on. Stop being such a prude!" She pouted. "You seriously need to give Bishop a break". She crossed her arms in front of her. "He is not hurting anybody".

He gave her a heated look, which prompted her to change the subject. "By the way," she said. "Who are those two kids in your room that I saw, when we went to pick you up from the Silver Wolfe's house?"

"Well, you met Han already. He is our spirit familiar". Mark poured himself a cup of coffee, adding sugar and milk into the cup. "The other boy is Shea, Han's friend. He is staying with us for the time being," he said as he stood by the kitchen counter, stirring his coffee, a little too violently. After he finished stirring his coffee, he flung his spoon roughly into the sink.

She approached him slowly, watching his face. "What's up? You look upset".

"I...nothing, nothing. It's silly, really," he shook his head. He took his mug and sat at the kitchen table.

"Come on, it's obviously not nothing. You are upset about something". Hanna sat on the chair beside him. She rested her elbows on the table, and leaned towards him.

"Do you...do you think they miss me?" Mark stared at his coffee mug. Why me, he asked the universe silently, furiously. And the saddest part is that no one would miss me, he thought. He sighed at that thought, and felt that his rage slowly turning into sadness.

"Who?" She creased her pale, tapered eyebrows. "Han and Shea? Vaughn?"

He nodded silently, eyes still on the mug.

"I am sure they do. They are your friends and boyfriend, right? I am sure they miss you".

He finally looked up, and she thought he didn't look convinced. Then she remembered something. "I remember when we went to pick you up from the Silver Wolf's house, you were so upset because you had a fight with Vaughn. What was that about?"

Mark was about to answer when Bishop came out of the bathroom. He frowned at the taller man who was, of course, just wearing a towel around his waist, and his temper flared again. "Oy, Bishop!" He snapped, as he jumped from his seat, and took a couple of steps forward. "Next time don't forget to bring a change of clothes into the bathroom. There is a lady here, you know! What are you, twelve?"

"Hey, I don't mind," Hanna protested.

Bishop gave Mark the middle finger salute. "I do whatever I want in my house! I am thirty years old, much older than you, so don't think you can tell me what to do! Besides, you heard her, _she_ doesn't mind," he barked, as he started to walk towards his room. "If you don't like the way I walk around in _my_ own house, then get out!"

Mark rolled his eyes. "I would, if I don't need your help," he muttered, viciously. "You think I want to cook and clean for a crude, useless jerk, like you?"

Bishop's brows twitched. He turned abruptly, closed the distance between him and Mark in a couple of long strides, and punched him in the mouth.

"Ugh!" Mark staggered backward, until he bumped into the kitchen table. There was blood on his lips. Bishop went after him; his muscles tightened, and was ready for a fight. He grabbed Mark by the throat with one hand, and slammed him hard on top of the table. Plates and utensils clattered from the impact. Bishop's other hand formed a fist above Mark's head

"Wait! Stop!" Hanna yelled. Instantly, she was standing beside the angry Bishop. "He didn't mean it, you know that! Please, don't hurt him..." Her hands were flailing around.

Bishop's chest heaved, and his fist hovered. Mark's eyes were wide with fear.

"Come on, Bishop. Let him go!" Hanna pleaded, panic rising in her voice. "I know he has a bad attitude, and he probably deserve a beating, but that because he has been under a lot of stress, okay? He is a nice guy, really! He is not usually like this!"

Bishop's fist crashed into the table an inch away from Mark's head, making him flinched. "Tell me something, Mark. How far are you willing to go to help this girl in your dream?" There was a mean smirk on Bishop's face, as he loomed over Mark. His eyes were hard.

"What...?" Mark croaked.

"Well, I do like boys. And girls," Bishop flicked his eyes at Hanna, as he released Mark's throat, and straightened himself up. "But since Hanna is a ghost, it's all up to you, kid. Are you willing to do whatever is necessary for the Goddess?" He crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"Screw you!" Mark hissed. He scrambled, trying to get off the table.

"That's what I am talking about," Bishop said, coldly. "Anytime, kid. You know where I sleep". He swaggered towards his bedroom. "Oh, and wear your kinky hairband if you are going to do that," he added, over his shoulder, before going into his bedroom, kicking the door behind him.

"Why...that...that...jerk!" Mark stuttered. "What the fuck was that for?"

Hanna had followed Bishop with her eyes. "Well, he ain't a peach". She glanced at Mark. "...but we do need his help, don't we? So I guess, you need to apologize".

"Oh, for Goddess' sake!" Mark bristled. He went to the bathroom, and dabbed on his bleeding lips with a clean, damp towel. Hanna followed him.

"...and_ stop_ nagging him".

"What?" Mark gave Hanna's reflection on the mirror an incredulous look. "I don't nag!" He barked.

"Oh yes, you do," she nodded her head firmly. "You do nag him, like a bitchy housewife, just because you don't like what he is doing". She stopped, and thought for a moment. "Actually, you are worse than some housewives I know..." And before he could respond, she continued, "He is right, you know. I am not just saying this because I like the view, but this is _his_ house. He is allowed to do whatever he wants in his house. We are guests in this house. He took us in, and yet, you called him a jerk!"

Mark pulled a face. He opened the medicine cabinet to reach for a healing salve. "Why?" He asked as he slammed the cabinet closed, a little harder than he should. "Why is my life so _difficult_?" He sounded exasperated, as he stared at his own reflection in the mirror.

It was Hanna's turn to have an incredulous look on her face. "Oh, in the name of the Goddess! It's not that difficult!" Her voice was sharp. "All you have to do is apologize, and stop nagging!"

"What if he is right?" Mark asked his own frowning reflection. "That he can't help me?"

"The Goddess said..."

"What if the Goddess is wrong, Hanna?" His voice was rising. He turned around to face her. "Have you _ever_ thought about that?"

"The Goddess can't be wrong!" She retorted, slashing the air with her hand. "But regardless, you said that the training at the wolves' compound didn't help you, right?" She challenged him with her eyes. "So, why don't you give Bishop a chance? It's not as if you have another option, right? You have nothing to lose!"

Mark sighed. His hand went up to massage his forehead. He hated to admit it, but she was right. "Okay. Fine. Alright! I'll apologize to him," he said, feeling defeated. "And I won't nag him anymore". He turned back to face the mirror, and dabbed the healing salve on his cut lip, wincing all the way. When he was done, he washed his hands, and walked out of the bathroom.

Bishop emerged from the bedroom a couple of minutes later, fully clothed. He sat at the table without saying anything, still looking very angry, and started to eat. From time to time he shot a sharp look at Mark, who sat across the table from him, and who deliberately avoided Bishop's eyes. Mark's full attention seemed to be fully absorbed in cutting his pancakes into very small squares instead.

Breathe, Mark thought. Breathe. You can do this. "What do you think of the pancakes?" He finally broke the silence. He figured talking about food was a good way to break any ice. And a way to offer an olive branch, so to speak.

"Good".

"What is your favorite food?"

Bishop didn't say anything for a moment. "Cookies," he snapped.

Mark nodded. Of course, he could have guessed that by the sheer number of empty, store-bought cookie packages that he had to clean up. "What kind of cookies?"

"Any kind," Bishop answered brusquely. "You don't want to leave?" He looked at Mark suspiciously.

"No. I need your help. I really do," Mark put down his fork and knife, keeping his eyes down. "You are right. This is your house. You can do whatever you want. I was being very obnoxious, by trying to tell you what you can, or can't do in your own home". He raised his eyes to meet Bishop's. "I am sorry, Bishop. I am truly sorry. I am sorry I called you a jerk. Please..." His breath caught. "Please let me stay..." Then his eyes turned from pleading to defiant. "But, I am not sleeping with you!"

Bishop shrugged, and rose from his chair roughly. "You can do whatever you want. I don't care". He started towards the door.

"Wait...you need something for your knuckles!" Mark jumped to his feet, trying to catch up with Bishop. However, the latter had already left the house and slammed the door behind him. The blond boy fell back into his chair. "Well, I think that went well," he said, forlornly.

Hanna waved her hand dismissively. "Give him time to cool down. He'll be alright".

"Right". Mark nodded to himself. "I am going to fix this mess. I am going to win him over".

"How are you planning to do that?" Hanna arched her eyebrows. "Oh..." She thought of something. "Are you going to prance around in front of him, wearing your kitty ears?"

He glared at her. "Get your mind out of the gutter for one second," he said. "I am going to bake cookies". He stood, looking determined. "If there is something I can do, I can bake cookies like nobody's business!"

"Atta boy!" Hanna chuckled. "Go get 'em, tiger!"

"By the way, thanks for stopping him. He looked like he was ready to pummel my face," Mark said, pulling out a mixing bowl and a baking sheet from the kitchen cabinets.

"No problem, buddy".

"But I can't believe you told Bishop that I have an attitude, and deserve a beating," he shot her an accusing look, as he opened the fridge and reached for eggs and butter.

"That's right, I did". Her mouth quirked into a smile. "And yes, you do".

He rolled his eyes. "With a friend like you, who needs enemies?" He grumbled. She responded by covering her giggles with her hand.

At lunch time, Mark had showed up in the barn with a tray of tempura rice, miso soup, and still warm cookies, along with a thermos of coffee. Bishop's eyes had brightened when he saw the cookies. But before he could start eating lunch, Mark insisted on checking his knuckles. There were small scratches on Bishop's knuckles, which didn't look bad at all, but to be safe, Mark dabbed them with disinfectant solution, and applied a little healing salve.

"So you are not with Crimson Wolfe's clan anymore?" Mark said.

"Nope". Bishop's voice was a little muffled by the food he was chewing. He gulped his soup impatiently, and eyed the cookies again.

"What happened?"

"I ran away. With my wolf," Bishop said. He stopped eating, turned his back towards Mark, and started to rummage noisily in his tool box.

"Why did you run away?"

"We decided that we had enough, so we left". The sound of Bishop rummaging in his tool box was getting louder.

Mark raised his voice above the din, "But, why?"

Bishop stopped his rummaging. "I need to get back to work," he said evenly. His back was still facing Mark. "You need to get out. Now. I'll bring the dishes and the tray with me, when I come home". He turned, and his eyes brushed over the cut on Mark's lip. "Sorry I punched you," he said, stiffly. He hesitated a little, before continuing, "...I lost my head back there".

Mark shuffled his feet. "I am sorry I pissed you off. Sometimes, I open my mouth without thinking..." He sighed, combing through his hair with his fingers. "It's just this whole thing with the Mother Tree and the Goddess..." He stopped, and bit his lower lip, wincing as he bit into the cut. He had already forgotten about the wound. "I'll leave you to your work. See you tonight". He was about to slip out of the barn when he heard Bishop called to him. He turned to face the older man.

"I didn't mean what I said about you having to sleep with me. I was just really angry. I say nasty things when I am angry". Bishop flicked his eyes at Mark's lips again. "I am not a nice man, but I will never force myself on anyone". He pulled down his goggles to obscure his eyes. "Besides, who wants to sleep with an impudent brat like you..."

The impudent brat let out a loud sigh, causing Bishop to frown at him. "You don't have to sound _that_ relieved!" Bishop said gruffly. He pointed at the door. "Out!"

Mark scurried out the barn...

When Bishop returned to the house that evening, he thought he caught a whiff of vanilla, like the cookies he had for lunch. Chasing the comforting sweetness of vanilla, came a savory aroma of something frying in hot oil. He secretly thought that his house couldn't smell any better. But of course, he wasn't going to tell Mark that. So he just nodded at Mark and Hanna silently, and marched into the bathroom to shower. When he finally came out of his bedroom, freshly showered, and fully dressed, he found that there were already a couple plates of fried rice and pot stickers set on the table.

Bishop bit into his pot sticker. Its outer skin was golden brown and perfectly crispy, and it was filled with steaming, shredded cabbage, carrots, and spring onion. It was delicious, and he couldn't believe himself, but he actually felt a tinge of disappointment when he ate the last piece. "You...uh, should make this again, sometimes," he said. As soon as he said that, he kicked himself mentally for sounding too eager.

"No problem," Mark said, with a shrug. "I would have made more, if I had known that you were going to like it that much".

"Whatever. Forget what I said. You don't have to make them just because I like them," Bishop said, while stuffing his face with fried rice.

"By the way, that's a nice necklace you got there," Hanna said, hovering.

Mark's hand went to touch the silver pendant. "Thanks," he responded. He allowed himself a smile, his first real smile of the day. "Vaughn gave it to me for my birthday".

"I see..." She moved closer. "Such a pretty pendant. Can I...?".

"Sure". He held the silver pendant up, so she could get a better look. "He gave it to me on the day when we had a fight, and then I had to come here..." His face fell. "It's the nicest thing someone ever given me..." There was a stone forming in his chest, in his lungs, and for a moment, he thought that he couldn't breathe.

"You'll see him again," Hanna said gently. "After Bishop helped us..." She fired her eyes at Bishop, who pretended that he didn't see her look. "...You can go home and see him again. Hey...hey..." She sat on the empty chair beside Mark, tilting her head to look at him in the eye. "Don't be sad, Mark. You'll be home soon enough, you'll see..."

"Yeah, but it doesn't matter. He is getting married, you know," Mark's face twisted in misery. He broke eye contact with Hanna, and looked down at his meal instead. His lips started to tremble, and his eyes were blurring. "He'll forget me soon..." When he raised his eyes back up, he realized that Bishop was watching him intently. He turned his head aside, scowling, rubbing his eyes roughly, and drying his cheeks with the back of his hands. He berated himself silently, for bursting into tears in front of a tough guy like Bishop. But he couldn't help himself. His emotions had been tossing his heart around for the past few days. Looking down at his meal, he braced himself, thinking that Bishop would probably tease him about being a crybaby.

"Life is unfair, kid. It happens". Mark whipped his head up to search Bishop's face. There didn't seem to be any meanness or malice in his sharp features. His gray eyes - under the dark, straight brows, which slanted upward - were cool, but not cruel. Mark exhaled, not even realizing that he had held his breath. And the two of them continued to eat their dinner in companionable silence.

After dinner, Bishop went to slouch on the sofa. He turned on the TV, and flipped through the channels. Mark plated the last of the cookies, and handed them to Bishop. Then he did the dishes, before finally settling down on the couch to watch the TV as well.

"How are they, the cookies?" Mark reached out for a cookie.

"Good," Bishop said, mouth full of cookies. He saw Mark's hand, and slapped it away. Mark hissed at him. "Kidding...just kidding. You can have some," Bishop said, smirking. He offered Mark the plate of cookies. "Tell me," his eyes caught the cat ears hairband lying on the coffee table. "Do you wear your kinky hairband while you are cleaning or cooking?"

"Of course not!" Mark spat, giving Bishop the evil eye.

"Too bad. If I say that I will only help you, if you wear it while you are doing your chores, what would you say?" Bishop turned his head aside to look at Mark.

Mark's eyes narrowed. "If I wear it, can I punch a freaking hole in your face?"

Bishop let out a short laugh. He looked at Hanna. "Feisty, isn't he?" Then at Mark, he said, "I was just joking! You are too uptight".

"You know, Mark. I agree with Bishop," Hanna said, helpfully. "For a guy, you are just too...uptight. You gotta relaxed sometimes. I mean, doesn't it hurt?" She shot Mark a questioning look. "Clenching your ass so tightly like that all the time?"

Mark's mouth fell open. He just couldn't believe the the kind of things that came out of the ghost's mouth. Do all girls talk this way, or just this demented one, he wondered. Then before he could stop himself, he said, "Vaughn never complained about me being too tight..." Oops. He clamped his hand on top of his mouth, while his ears were turning crimson. That had come out wrong, he thought albeit too late.

Hanna and Bishop were hysterical. "Is that," Hanna croaked, between breathless giggles. Her face was turning red. "Is that so? So Vaughn thinks you are just tight enough, huh?"

"Oh, shut up!" Mark snapped at her. At the corner of his eyes, he caught Bishop bending over, laughing hard, and slapping his own thigh. "Seriously, you two! Stop that!" Mark blazed his eyes at Bishop and Hanna, who were wheezing, between snorts and giggles. "The world is about to end, and all you two can think of is dirty jokes?"

"But..." Bishop was gasping for air. "You...said..."

Mark was still red, as he huffed, indignantly. "What I was trying to say, was that, Vaughn had never complained about me being too uptight..."

"Oh, admit it," Hanna purred. She finally calmed down and caught her breath. She was perching lazily, legs crossed, on top of the back of the sofa, beside Bishop. There was a suggestive smile on her face. "Your mind is not as pure as you pretended it to be. You are just as perverted as any other man..."

"Whatever," Mark snarled, as he snatched another cookie from Bishop's plate. Now he held a cookie in each hand, and started to munch on the cookies furiously, which prompted Bishop to comment how Mark had reminded him of a hamster, or maybe a gerbil. Hearing this, Hanna had snorted out loud again, agreeing with Bishop. Mark had rolled his eyes, and muttered, that everybody was out to get him. Unfortunately, instead of apologizing, Mark's comment had spurred Bishop and Hanna to laugh even louder.

For the rest of the evening, Bishop and Mark sat on the couch, watching TV, eating cookies, not talking much. Hanna hovered in the background, and commented on the TV programs once in a while. At some point, Bishop got up, stretching, and saying that he was going to bed, as he had to wake up early in the morning.

Mark took the cat ears headband with him that night, as he lied down in the darkened house. There was no way he was going to wear the ears for Bishop, he fumed silently. It was supposed to be something special between him and Vaughn. He gently caressed those soft, furry ears, thinking of his wolf man. As he closed his eyes, he could see those lustful, crimson eyes eating him up. He could feel Vaughn's insatiable mouth on his throat. He thought he could almost smell Vaughn's scent, that sweet musk: all masculine, with a hint of the wolf beast within.

Mark's favorite position was - he just found this out recently - him lying on his belly, with Vaughn on top of him. The friction of the bed sheet against his swollen member, as Vaughn nailed him to the bed, felt unbelievably good. When he could feel Vaughn's weight pinning him down, and hear the wolf man grunting with effort, he couldn't help, but felt incredibly turned on. Sometimes Vaughn would nip at Mark's shoulder and ears, or his hand would slip under to play with Mark's nipple or to grip his throbbing erection, and Mark would unravel in moans and tears.

Then there was this little ritual that Vaughn did from time to time: he would run his hands through Mark's hair, kiss the scar over Mark's eyebrow, and run his tongue over the birth mark on Mark's inner thigh. Mark wasn't sure why Vaughn did those things, but he loved the familiarity implied in those gentle gestures. His body craved it too; just thinking about those tender moments, what they had done, and what he wished they were doing right now, was making him hard.

Stop that, you have a bigger problem than getting laid, a voice in his head scolded him. Stop nagging, I can do whatever I want, another voice countered. Slowly Mark's hands moved downwards, and soon, he started to stroke and tease himself. His desire grew urgent, and coiled inside him like a spring, tighter and tighter, until it shot out its hot, creamy load.

The sound which escaped his lips when he came, was a muffled cry, calling out the name of the man he loved.

End of Chapter 29


	30. Chapter 30: Betrayal

Author's note: we are going to go back and forth between Mark, Vaughn and Will in this story. And just a warning, time won't be going linearly either, but everything will eventually converge in future chapter. Please bear with me. I will try my best to keep everyone (including me) from getting confused (and yes, it happens a lot – me, getting confused). Alright, on to the next chapter...

Chapter 30: Betrayal

Will watched the two men coupling on the bed with interest. From where he was sitting in the room, he could see Kaede on his knees and elbows, while Charles knelt behind him, pumping hard. Kaede's long hair was out of its customary braid. It was parted in the middle, draping like black satin around his small face. Beautiful hair, Will had to admit. Nice enough package, he noted: a pretty face, paired with a petite, almost hairless body. But he still couldn't see what Elliot saw in Kaede. Pretty human boys were far from rare, in his opinion. One could purchase a pretty young man like Kaede, for a few gold coins in any brothel or whorehouse. Heck, in some brothels, one could even buy two, for the same amount of gold coins.

Besides, Will was certain that he was better looking than the long-haired soul keeper, and he was definitely more skilled in bed. He gave Kaede a credit for trying his best to please Charles: from the way he had eagerly tried to do everything that Charles demanded, to the the way the soul keeper had looked at Charles. Love, awe and worship was clearly etched on his face. Will wished Elliot would look at him the way. No, he shook his head, Elliot _used_ to look at him that way. He wondered what had changed. He watched Kaede closely, and concluded that he still couldn't see what Elliot had seen in him.

Charles let out a few increasingly louder grunts. He threw his head back, and bucked for one deep thrust, letting out a long groan. He shuddered, and pumped his soul keeper slowly a few more times, before he finally slipped out of him. Both men fell onto the bed beside each other, panting.

"Very nice," Will said. Charles wouldn't let him touch Kaede, but had allowed him to watch. He rose, and reached for the chilled champagne from the ice bucket set on the table beside him. He poured out the bubbly into two crystal champagne flutes, and brought them to the bed. He gave one flute to Charles, and the other to Kaede. The two sweaty men on the bed gulped the champagne down. They must be very thirsty, he thought. He sat on the edge of the bed with his legs crossed on the knees, smiling indulgently at Charles. "Feel better, darling?"

"Yeah," Charles put his flute down on bedside table, and lay down. He turned his head aside, and his fingers brushed a flyaway hair from his soul keeper's face. Kaede whimpered, and curled himself against his wolf man. Then Charles looked up, gave Will a hungry smile, and said, "Give me half an hour, and it will be your turn".

Will stepped away from the bed. "I don't think so. Not today, Charles".

Charles frowned at him. Will had never turned him down. He was about to get up, but soon realized that he couldn't move a limb. His tongue, too, was numb, and he was unable to say anything. Beside him, Kaede was making a short, panic noises, which told him that the same thing had happened to his soul keeper.

"You are wondering what is happening to you and your soul keeper, I suppose," Will said, calmly. He stood in the middle of the bedroom, looking down at Charles and Kaede. There was a cheerful smile on his face. "I put a potion in your champagne, which paralyzed you temporarily". He heard a noise at door. "Ah, here comes your brother..."

True to Will's word, Caleb swaggered into the room, carrying an overnight bag with him. "Did it work?" He asked Will.

Will swept his arm at the bed with flourish.

"Perfect," Caleb set the bag down on the floor. He pulled a pair of leather gloves from his pants pocket, and put them on. He glanced at the bed. "Look at you, brother. So defenseless..." Something glinted in his eyes, as he smoothed the gloves over his fingers. He crouched and unzipped the bag. With his gloved hand, he reached into the bag and pulled out a large, kitchen knife. "How far you have fallen, alpha". He straightened himself up. "To be killed by your own soul keeper".

Charles' eyes widened.

Caleb approached the bed, and sat on the edge. "You always have the best of everything," he said. "The best toys, father's favor..." He turned his eyes on Kaede. "Better looking soul keeper..."

Will stepped towards the bed, and sat behind Caleb. "Pretty little thing, isn't he?" He leaned slightly to whisper into Caleb's ear. "Don't you want to have him just once?" Caleb swallowed hard. His eyes traveled all over Kaede's face and naked body. "You can, if you want," Will whispered again. Slowly he licked Caleb's neck, from his collar bone all the way to his jaw, and nipped at his ear. His finger traced Caleb's nipple through his shirt, while his other hand roamed over Caleb's flat stomach. "As long as you let me watch..." Will's hand moved to unzip Caleb's pant, and started to fondle his twitching bulge. Caleb didn't need anymore encouragement. He knelt on the bed, put the knife down beside him, lifted Kaede's thighs, and shoved himself in roughly, all the way to the hilt.

Will stood over the bed and watched Kaede's face with delight. Look at him, Elliot, he thought, he is afraid. Watching Kaede's eyes grew bigger with fear shot a jolt of shiver down his spine. He considered having a turn, but thought better of it. He wasn't quite sure how long the potion's effect would last.

It didn't take long for Caleb to finish. After he was done, he arranged Kaede on top of Charles, straddling him. Caleb knelt behind Kaede, and wrapped Kaede's right hand around the knife. He put his hand over the soul keeper's hand and lifted the knife high up. "Say hello to father for me," he said, as he plunged the knife into Charles' heart. Kaede made a noise that sounded almost like a choke. Then Caleb lifted the knife, still in Kaede's hand, and sliced the soul keeper's throat.

Will clasped his hands together. "Good job, Caleb," he said. "You brought a change of clothes?" He shot a questioning look.

"Yeah," Caleb said, staring at the two lifeless bodies on the bed.

"Strip, and hit the shower," Will said, as pulled on a pair of rubber gloves over his own hands. "I will take care of your bloody clothes". Caleb nodded. He got off the bed, stripped down and carried the overnight bag with him to the bathroom.

The nice thing about Charles' vast bedroom was that it had a huge, working fireplace, Will thought with delight. And Charles loved to keep the fire going whenever he was having sex. Lit fireplace was Charles' idea of foreplay; he had no time, nor patience, for kisses and caresses. Will had learned that if the fireplace in the bedroom was going, then Charles would most likely be horny and want to sleep with someone.

Will collected Caleb's bloody clothes and fed them into the fireplace. Then he took the champagne bottle, the ice bucket and the crystal flutes to the kitchen. He dumped all the champagne and the ice into the sink, washed and dried the flutes thoroughly. He set the empty bottle with other empty wine and champagne bottles on the kitchen counter. Lastly, he ran the hot water to wash the sink and melt the ice.

Moments later, a grim wolf man joined Caleb and Will in Charles' bedroom. "Tell me what happened here again?" The man asked. He was an older man, with a thin face, small slits of eyes that were very too close together, and scruffy, blond beard.

"My brother said he wanted to talk to me about something, so I came as he requested. When I got here, I heard noises from the bedroom. I went to the bedroom, and saw Charles, on the bed, already dead. Kaede was on top of him holding that bloody knife. He saw me, and he cut his own throat," Caleb said, calmly. "Then Will walked into the bedroom".

"I was going to drop off some papers for Charles to sign, Amber Wolf". Will's voice was shaky. "When I arrived, I...I thought I heard something from the bedroom. I went to the bedroom, and well...the rest you already know".

"I see..." Amber Wolf frowned at the bodies. "Now, why would his soul keeper do that?"

"Jealousy, that's what I heard," Caleb offered. "My brother had been spending a lot of time with Will. We all know how much Kaede worshiped, no..." He shook his head. "was obsessed with Charles".

Amber Wolf flicked his eyes at Caleb and Will. "I see..." He said. "So what would you like to do, Great Wolf?" He addressed Caleb. With Charles dead, Caleb was the new alpha.

"Throw the soul keeper's body in the woods in the mountain for the vultures, and give my brother a proper burial," Caleb said, with a shrug. The case was closed and Kaede was guilty, was his meaning.

"If I may suggest, a further investigation may..." Amber Wolf started.

Caleb raised his hand to stop him. "It seems clear to me. I am telling you, Kaede is guilty. I saw it with my own eyes. Besides, you have other more important things to do".

Amber Wolf bowed. "Yes, Great Wolf".

"And Rudolph..." Caleb called out.

"Yes?" Amber Wolf raised a thick brow.

"Gather everyone in the main room. I will break the news about Charles' death, and I have an announcement of my own to make as well".

Rudolph nodded. "Yes, Great Wolf". He walked out of the bedroom. He was about to walk out of Charles' living quarter when he changed his mind. He went to the kitchen to examine the kitchen knife block. Then he opened the kitchen drawer one by one to check its content. After a while he nodded, and let himself out of the unit.

* * *

><p>"Good news, Elliot," Will informed his soul keeper that evening, as he walked into their living quarter. He clasped his hands together. "Caleb has become the alpha, and..." He paused for effect. "...I am next in line. Caleb had made me the beta wolf".<p>

Elliot, who was standing in front of the sink washing dishes, pushed his glasses up with wet, soapy fingers. "What...what happened to Charles?" He turned his shoulder to look at Will.

Will flashed him a bright smile. "The late alpha had met an unfortunate, piercing situation at the end of Kaede's knife". He let out a short laugh as if he had just said something funny.

Elliot dropped the plate he was holding into the sink. His eyes widened. "Kaede? No! Can't be!" He blurted out. "He wouldn't do that!"

"And how do you know this?" Will said casually. He sat on one of the kitchen table chairs, crossing his legs, and resting his hands on his lap . "I thought you two are not friends?" He raised a refined eyebrow.

"No...we are not..." Elliot shook his head. He started to pick on his shirt nervously, keeping his eyes to the floor. "What-what will happen to Kaede?" When Will didn't answer him, he felt chill ran through his veins and started to plead. "Will, please..." He knew he should have kept his mouth shut, but he couldn't help himself. "Please don't let them hurt Kaede. He didn't do this! Please..."

Will shot him a sharp look. "Kaede killed himself. After he killed Charles," he said curtly.

No, no, Elliot's mind groped around. It can't be! Before he realized it, tears were raining down his cheeks. He took off his glasses, and started to sob into his hand. The only person in Crimson Wolfe's clan who was ever nice to him, was gone. Life was getting better with Kaede befriending him; they had been spending a lot of time together whenever Will wasn't around. Elliot's world just turned dark without Kaede in it.

Will's face contorted with rage, as he saw Elliot cry. "Don't cry for him," he said harshly. He rose, and paced around the room. "It is your fault. I told you to stay away from him".

Elliot looked up. "What...did you say?" A new light dawned in his eyes. "Did...did you do this? You did, didn't you? You-you killed him!"

Will grasped Elliot's shirt and pulled him forward. "Don't you dare cry for him! Don't you dare shed any tear for anyone else, but me!" His mouth came down hard on Elliot's lips. He pulled his soul keeper onto the floor, and tore his clothes off. "How dare you," he hissed. "How dare you care for anyone else, but me!" He glared at his soul keeper, and let out a short, surprised breath.

There was an empty expression on Elliot's face. His soul keeper's body was slack, and from the dead eyes he gave Will, it was obvious that Elliot's mind had gone somewhere else.

Elliot's empty eyes unsettled Will, and he found that he couldn't go through with what he was going to do. He rose quickly, and brushed his clothes, trying to collect himself. When he finally thought that he was calm enough to speak without shaking, he said, "I am staying over at Caleb's tonight". Then he left without saying anything.

Elliot curled into a tight ball on the floor. Oh Kaede, he thought. I am sorry. I am so sorry...

* * *

><p>A week later, in bed, Will pouted his mouth prettily, and said to Caleb, "I couldn't believe you actually fucked Charles' soul keeper". Caleb had moved into Charles' living quarter: a luxurious three-bedrooms, three-bathrooms unit with a separate dining room, living room, and a large kitchen. Now that Charles was gone, Caleb made sure that everyone in the pack knew that Will was his, and that no one could touch him.<p>

Caleb cocked an eyebrow. "You said it was okay, that you don't mind".

"I said you can, if you want to," Will said stiffly. "And you are supposed to say that you don't want to do it. Instead, you acted as if you have been wanting to do him for a long time". He frowned at Caleb. "I was right, wasn't I? You have been wanting to sleep with him for a while, haven't you?"

Caleb sighed. His hand brushed through his short, spiky hair. "Okay, okay, I am sorry, alright?"

Will was still frowning. "What did he have that I don't have?" He asked the bedroom ceiling. After that incident with Elliot, Will had been spending more and more time at Caleb's, than at his own place. Every time he reached for Elliot, his soul keeper's face had gone blank, and it had really turned Will off. He had not foreseen that Kaede's death would affect Elliot so much. He wondered if Elliot would cry like that for him...

"Please, sweet". Caleb showered Will's face with gentle kisses. "Don't be angry. He is nothing to me. He is nothing compared to you".

Ah yes, Caleb. Will smiled at him. Caleb worshiped him; he could see it in Caleb's eyes. He would do anything Will asked. "I won't be angry if you write a note that said you are sorry," Will said, his thumb brushed over Caleb's lips.

"Huh?"

"Don't move". Will climbed off the bed, swaying his hips a little as he walked out of the bedroom, knowing full well that Caleb would be watching his butt. When he returned into the room, he had an opened beer, a notepad and a pen in his hands. He placed the beer on the night stand beside the bed. "Here". he threw the note pad and the pen on the bed. "Write: I am sorry".

Caleb stared at him with a puzzled look.

Will got down on his hands and knees on the bed, and crawled towards Caleb lithely. "Come on, write it. If you do, I will suck you until your eyes rolled in your head. Would you like that?"

Caleb nodded and swallowed. Quickly he jotted on the notepad.

"Good boy," Will whispered, as he licked his lips. Caleb could never resist him, he thought with amusement. He reached for the beer and gave it to Caleb. Then he bowed his head down to trace Caleb's shaft, from the balls to the head, with his tongue. He heard Caleb groaned. "Now drink your beer, and lie down on your back..."

The Amber Wolf was summoned a couple of hours later to Caleb's living quarter by Will, who had sounded very distressed. This time he had taken a few other wolf men and Caleb's soul keeper with him. When he got there, Will had given him Caleb's note, and led him to the bedroom.

Rudolph glanced at the body that was hung from the ceiling. "I wonder what it means," he said out loud. "What was he sorry for?" He read Caleb's note one more time.

Will sighed, and combed through his hair with his hand. "He has been tormented this past week. He seemed afraid...or guilty about something. Every little noise startled him". He shook his head. "Do you...do you think he had anything to do with Charles' death?" He flicked his eyes at the note in Amber Wolf's hand. "Maybe it wasn't Kaede?"

Amber Wolf stroked his beard, as he eyed Caleb who was hanging from the noose around his neck. "I guess this means you are alpha, Will". Hearing that, some of the wolves in the room cheered. Will was well liked in Crimson Wolfe's clan.

Will put his hands up to silence the cheer. "Caleb will be given a proper burial," he said solemnly. "We will give him the respect he deserves".

Caleb's soul keeper blurted, "But he wouldn't do this! If he had felt guilty about something, he would have told me about it". He wrung his hands. "Please, we need to investigate this. Someone else did this!"

Will shot him a murderous look. "Who asked you, soul keeper? Did I, or any of the wolves here, ask for your opinion?"

"No...but..."

"Caleb was a wolf man and an alpha. He didn't have to tell you anything. He told me, his beta wolf. You are just a soul keeper".

"But...but..." Caleb's soul keeper started to tremble.

Will waved his hand. "Take him out and give him ten lashes, for speaking out of turn". A couple of wolf men moved to restrain and drag the soul keeper out.

Amber Wolf frowned. "Is that truly necessary, Great Wolf? That soul keeper was just distraught with his wolf's death. Understandable, don't you think?"

Will decided he didn't like the way Amber Wolf looked at him. The grim wolf man seemed to know something. "I know how these soul keepers think, Rudolph. You give them an inch, and they will take a foot. Trust me. I have seen the same thing happened in Silver Wolfe's clan". He looked around the room at the other wolf men. "They need discipline. They need an iron hand to guide them. That is what these elementals need. That soul keeper is to be made an example for others". Some of the wolves cheered again, and Will beamed at them. Then he glanced at Amber Wolf. The man seemed to be distracted by the beer bottle on the bedside table.

Will almost kicked himself for forgetting about the beer. He had been careless. His eyes darted around trying to come up with something. "You know, Rudolph, I will need a new secretary as Great Wolf. I think you fit the bill, what do you say?" Will flashed his loveliest smile. "You seemed to be a very smart and capable man".

Rudolph, the Amber Wolf bowed his head a little. "I am sorry Great Wolf, but I am not cut out to be a secretary," he said mildly. "I don't have the skills. I am just a rough wolf man, who had been entrusted with the mansion security by Charles". He straightened his spine. "If you don't mind, I would like to continue doing that".

"No, I don't mind," Will greeted his teeth, and wondered why Rudolph seemed immune to his charm. He tried again, by putting his hand lightly on Rudolph's arm. "Let me know if you change your mind. I can use a good man like you by my side".

Rudolph nodded, absently. "I will". He didn't seem to notice Will's hand lingering on his arm. Then with a casual voice, he said, "Would you like me to take that out for you?" He pointed at the beer bottle.

"Ah, so that's where I put my drink". Will removed his hand from Rudolph's arm, and grabbed the beer. "I need a drink to calm my nerves. When I found him like this..." He waved a shaky hand at Caleb.

Rudolph nodded again. "Understandable, Great Wolf. It is very unsettling for everybody, to have two alphas dead within a week". He stuffed Caleb's note into his pants pocket. "I will make arrangement for the funeral," he said, as he walked out of the room.

Will followed Rudolph with narrowed eyes. He didn't think Amber Wolf would do anything foolish, but still, he didn't like the way he pointed out how two alphas were dead within a week. He had sounded as if he thought it was Will's doing. Will went to the bathroom, locked the door, and flushed the rest of the beer down the toilet.

End of Chapter 30


	31. Chapter 31: I Am My Father's Son Part 1

Chapter 31: I Am My Father's Son Part 1

Day 3

Let us go back to the day of the public flogging of Haru and Chen, and to a tormented, young wolf man. After Vaughn had removed himself hastily from the flogging location, he had gone for a long walk, before he finally headed home. He had sat down in the kitchen, staring at the wall, and was lost in his own private hell. When he finally surfaced from his thoughts, he realized that the sun had set, and the inside of the house was getting darker. He didn't bother turning on the light. He didn't see a point of that. As a matter of fact, he didn't see any point in doing anything other than sitting in the dark. He wondered where Mark was at the moment, and what he was doing. He had found that some of Mark's clothing, a backpack and a toothbrush - his toothbrush - were gone. And so was Mark's kitty ears hairband. At least Mark took his necklace as well, the one Vaughn had given him for his birthday. Somehow, that fact comforted him a little.

He looked up when he heard the door was opened, and Han and Shea walked into the house. Han's hand went to flick the light switch automatically, making Vaughn blinked as the bright light suddenly flooded the room.

"Dog!" Han had jumped. "Why are you sitting in the dark?"

Vaughn ignored him. He didn't have to answer to Han. He didn't have to explain himself to anyone.

"We caught a fish," Han said again, holding out a fish in his hand. "For dinner".

"You sit down. I cook dinner," Shea said. He took the fish from the cat boy's hand, and approached the kitchen counter. Soon he was opening and closing the kitchen cabinets and fridge, pulling out ingredients and a frying pan.

Vaughn shrugged. He wondered if Mark had enough to eat. As far as he could see, Mark didn't seem to pack any food with him. But then again, he realized, he probably wouldn't know even if Mark did take some food, since he had always left household matter, such as groceries, to Mark. All he knew was that, he gave Mark all the gold coins he asked for the household expense, and left it to Mark to spend as he pleased. Mark had always loved food, he thought, loved making, eating it, and feeding people. The thought that Mark might be starving, made his chest tightened painfully. He often wondered how Mark stayed slim with all the food he ate. It must be all the farm and house work he had done. Mark was smaller than Vaughn in stature and built, but he was, by no means, delicate, or weak. He was lean, but wiry. And he was always moving.

Vaughn thought that Mark had always seemed to be on the move, doing something, going somewhere, disappearing from his line of view. After a while, he found a way to move his head and eyes inconspicuously, to follow Mark's hummingbird movement, or at the very least, keeping that shock of blond hair at the corner of his vision. Even then, from time to time, not satisfied just keeping Mark on his peripheral sight, he would move his head, so his eyes could find their way home to Mark's face. Sometimes he wanted to tell Mark to stop moving so much, stop moving and stay still, so he could take his time to carefully observe, and commit to memory, the details of Mark's face.

But the urge to tell Mark to stop moving would usually pass quickly for he loved the way Mark moved. He remembered watching Mark cutting the grass for fodder one day. It was a summer day, clouded, but stifling hot. Mark had worn his cap pulled low to his eyes, hiding his face, and had taken his shirt off, which was unusual. Mark wasn't a kind of person who like to work bare-chested, since he sunburned easily. But since it was cloudy, he had thought that it was okay to take off his shirt.

There was no wind that day; everything stood still. Except for Mark. He strode among the sea of grass, which was as almost as high as his waist, moving firmly and purposefully. The dark clouds above his head, framed in light, cast a tinge of gray on everything: the grass, the crops, the white fence which enclosed the farm. Except for Mark. Vaughn could never picture Mark as gray, as devoid of colors. In his mind, Mark was always in full bloom, always blond, often flushed pink, with green eyes which were more lively than the summer grass.

Mark bent slightly from the waist, legs apart. He swung his sickle swiftly, with a practiced rhythm, as he stepped forward. Step. The sickle sliced the grass decisively from right to left. The sea of grass parted. Step. The sickle arched from left to right. More grass fell. Mark's skin glistened with a thin layer of perspiration. Flyaway blades of green swirled around him. Vaughn watched the lean muscles on Mark's slender back, and arm, contracted and rippled. He could watch all day.

From time to time, Mark would stop to take his cap off, and brush the sweat off his brows. Then he would reach for the water canteen which was hung from his belt, and tilt his head back as he brought the canteen to his lips. Watching Mark's adam's apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed his water, Vaughn's breath had caught...

"...wanted to ask you..." Han's voice brought Vaughn back to the present. The cat boy was sitting across Vaughn. "What...what did you say to Mark before he left? He was very upset..."

Vaughn shot him a sharp look. "None of your business, cat!" He snapped. Why can't people leave him alone, he wondered.

Han stood abruptly. "None of my business? But it is! Mark was upset!" He glared at Vaughn. "And I bet it was all your fault! You probably said something mean to him! Didn't you?"

Vaughn refused to answer him. He didn't even look at Han. I knew it was my fault, he thought furiously. You didn't have to point it out to me. I knew it already. It wasn't so much what he said to Mark. It was what he almost did to Mark before they parted, that was killing him inside. It was another proof how despicable he was. He wondered if he could flog Mark in public like what his father did to Haru. A small part of him refused to believe that he was capable of doing that, but the proof was out in the open, in the bloodied backs of Haru and Chen. After all, he was a wolf man. Like his father, and his grandfather, he was sure that he was capable of doing such a heinous deed if he had to.

He played this morning event in his mind, but instead of Haru and Chen, he pictured Mark strapped between two poles. He had been stripped down to his underwear, and his eyes were wild with fear. Wolf men stood around him, jeering and leering. Their faces twisted in nightmarish expression: fangs bared, and noses slowly morphing into snouts. Then the whip cracked across that slim back, leaving a trail of blood, vivid red against the pale skin, and a piercing scream...

"...Say something!" Han broke Vaughn's train of thought. His lips quivered. "Say you are sorry!" Pleading, hot tears started to flow from his eyes, but Vaughn just sat there, dark and grim, silent and unmoving. The cat boy ran into his bedroom, sobbing.

Vaughn sighed. What was the point of saying sorry, he wondered. It was not going to change anything. It wasn't going to change the fact that yes, this whole miserable thing was _his_ fault. If he had been strong enough, Haru wouldn't have to save him and Mark from Will. Haru and Chen wouldn't be punished because of them. If he had been careful enough, he wouldn't be dragged to The Other. Mark wouldn't have to come after him, and strike a bargain with the Goddess to save his life. If he had not been born with this terrible beast inside him, Mark wouldn't be dragged into his life, and suffer for him. Yes, what is the point of saying sorry, he thought grimly. It would not fix anything.

"No worries," Shea spoke quietly, glancing at Vaughn. "I will talk to him". He turned back to the dinner preparation. "Han is right. Mark cried". He glanced at Vaughn again, over his shoulder. "Tell me..." He continued, as his hand deftly cleaned the fish with a very sharp knife. "Why your father want you to take another wife? Wada said it is trouble, very big trouble for a man to have more than one wife. Wada said wives tend to fight over..."

"Mark is not my wife, Shea". Vaughn suddenly felt so tired. Why did he say that, he wondered. Why did he always have to wish for things beyond his grasp? He decided right then that he would never, ever, make a single, stupid wish, ever again. Because he realized it now, that no matter how much he wished for it, there were certain things in life, like love and happiness, that were not meant for a despicable wolf man like him...

Shea frowned. "But you said..."

"I know what I said," Vaughn cut him off. "I was being stupid, okay?" He put his head in his hands, elbows on the table. "I was stupid, so stupid..." He shook his head, rising from his seat. "I am going to bed".

"No food?" Shea shot the wolf man a questioning look.

Vaughn shook his head, as he went to his bedroom, and closed the door behind him softly.

In the bedroom, he headed straight to the en-suite bathroom, stripped, and stepped into the shower. He soaped himself and washed his hair. As he was rinsing himself clean, he wondered whether Mark had a warm place to stay. The thought that his soul keeper might be out there without a roof over his head, in cold winter night, made him turned off the hot water. He wasn't sure why he did this, but he made himself stood under the icy cold water for as long as he could stand. When he couldn't stand it anymore, he finally turned the water off, and reached for a towel. He rubbed himself dry vigorously, before he stepped out of the shower.

Still naked, he crawled under the blanket. He scooted over to Mark's side, reaching for Mark's pillow, and buried his nose in it. The pillow had smelled like Mark's hair. In his mind eyes, he saw the blond moving away from him among the tall grass. Mark's back and head were bare, and his hands caressed the grass as he moved. Stop, wait, he wanted to shout. His lover turned, combed the hair out of his eyes, and smiled. He pictured Mark on his back, breathing hard, urging him on. Mark on his belly, raising his butt to meet Vaughn, moaning and crying. The first time Mark cried in bed, Vaughn thought that he had hurt him. No, Mark had said no, as he sobbed. Then he had asked Vaughn to give it to him harder, faster, oh goddess, harder...

The scent and the visuals stirred a need in his groin, so he took care of that, while burying his face into the pillow. When he was done and had cleaned himself, he squeezed the pillow close to his heart and shut his eyes tight, willing himself to sleep, and trying hard not to think as to why, the bed had felt so cold and empty.

In the kitchen, Shea made dinner for two, and put them on a tray, along with two glasses of milk. He took the tray to Han's room, and closed the door behind him with his foot. "Han. Eat something," he said.

"Not hungry," Han said. His voice was muffled by the pillow he had buried his face in. He was lying on the bed, on his stomach.

Shea sat on the edge of the bed, placing the tray on the bed side table. "Yes, you are". His hand caressed Han's dark hair. "Sit up". He patted Han's shoulder. Han pushed himself up to a sitting position, facing Shea, resting his back against the bed head board.

"Don't be sad, my pretty panther," Shea said gently. He pulled Han's face towards him with both hands, until their foreheads touched. "Everything will be okay. Trust me," he whispered.

"Oh, Shea". Han wrapped his arms around the jungle boy's neck. He rested his head on Shea's shoulder. "What am I going to do, if Mark doesn't come back? The dog doesn't like me. He doesn't want me here..." His voice caught in a sob. "...He will throw me out if Mark left us. Then where am I supposed to go?"

"He will not, I am sure". Shea rubbed Han's back, trying to comfort him. "But if he did, then you will live with me. I will take care of you".

Han stopped sobbing for a moment to pull away, and look at Shea. "You will? You promise?"

"I promise," Shea said. His fingers tried to dry Han's face. "I will take care of you. Forever. I will protect you. I will be the best husband". He gripped Han's shoulders. "Wada said I am a man. I will take care of you! I swear! I will be brave. I will be stro..."

Han touched Shea's lips with his finger. "I believe you. Thank you". He cupped the jungle boy's face gently in his hands, and leaned forward to kiss him. Shea buried his hands in Han's hair, and kissed him back. They had been kissing a lot lately, when they were alone. Shea had finally gotten over his urge to bolt every time their lips touched. Their kisses had been longer and deeper, with a little more heat and tongue as the time went by.

After some time, they reluctantly broke the kiss, both were hot and gasping for air. Han leaned back on the headboard. Shea reached for the tray from the bed side table. He moved to sit beside Han, resting his back against the headboard as well. "Eat," he commanded Han, as he offered him a fork. Han took the fork and they ate together on the bed. After they had dinner, they went to the kitchen to do the dishes, giggling and splashing soapy water at each other. Then they went to the bathroom to brush their teeth, before they finally kissed good night, and went to separate bedrooms. Han had wanted to go with Shea into his bedroom, to curl himself against the jungle boy in bed, but a voice in his head – which sounded, oddly, like Mark's – told him that it was not a good idea. He slunk away with his head bowed into his own bedroom, and closed the door behind him.

"See, Mark, I am a good boy," Han whimpered in his dark bedroom, as he slipped under the cover. "So, please, please, come back..." He shut his eyes tight. "I promise I'll be good..."

End of Chapter 31


	32. Chapter 32: I Am My Father's Son Part 2

Chapter 32: I Am My Father's Son Part 2

Day 4

The next morning, Shea managed to convince Vaughn to eat a couple of toasts for breakfast. After breakfast, Vaughn went to the Iron Wolf's training den. The den was a simple structure: a large, open air yard encircled with wooden plank fence and small, sturdy building at the end which housed showers, a weight room, lockers and a small office. When Vaughn arrived at the den, there were already some other wolves there and their soul keepers. Not all soul keepers were there, however. Some soul keepers preferred not to take part in grueling training regime that Iron Wolf dished out to his pack. They would rather go to the soul keeper compound for training, which involved less strenuous physical exercises and more gentle element summoning.

Alistair put his pack through the warm-up practice: a three-mile run around the yard, with push-ups, lunges and crunches performed every half a mile. Then he took his pack for another two miles jog through the town. Throughout the jog, he kept barking at them to pick up the pace and keep up with him. At one point, the pack encountered a group of young soul-keepers-in-training running together with a couple of their handlers. A few of the younger wolves turned their heads to ogle as they jogged by, so Al cuffed them hard on the heads. Eyes forward, wolves, he boomed, or you can give me another couple of miles. After two miles, they marched back to the training den and Alistair put his wolves through wolf-to-wolf sparring sessions, while their soul keepers watched and cheered.

Vaughn concentrated on going through the training and tried his best not to think about Mark. After sparring sessions, they were given lunch break. During lunch, the wolves in Iron Wolf's pack chattered excitedly about the flogging yesterday. Most of them openly condemned the flogging as they realized that Alistair, the pack leader, had suffered since it was his soul keeper who had been flogged. Except for one wolf, who told other wolves that those two soul keepers deserved to be flogged, since they were just humans after all and they needed to be reminded of their place. The wolf had said it with a loud voice to ensure that all the soul keepers present had heard him. Hearing this, Vaughn's blood had boiled and he brashly challenged that wolf to one-to-one combat. The wolf of course accepted his challenges, for these were wolf men. A race notoriously known as full of pride.

The other wolf, a brown one, was a little smaller than Silver Wolf but he was a couple of years older and had a little more experience. They circled each other, with deep belly growl and show of fangs. My fangs are bigger than yours. No, mine are bigger and sharper, stand down! Then an opening charge. Who sprung first didn't matter. They clashed in the middle, equal in speed and power.

The brown wolf's defense was impenetrable and his attack well timed. He landed a blow that drew first blood. Good, he thought. The young one would learn that he was not invincible and would yield soon. But the thick iron smell of his own blood whipped Silver Wolf up into a furious frenzy. He fought back as if he didn't feel any pain. He didn't seem to care how many wounds he got or how many bites he received. With every blow, he gave back thrice, four times as many.

Even a rock would start to erode when faced with wave after wave of water assault. Silver Wolf made up his lack of experience with sheer stubbornness and desperate recklessness. With every onslaught, the older wolf receded inch by inch. The fight had become something he didn't want. At first he thought it would be easy to teach the young wolf a lesson. Just a few slams to the face, a few show of teeth and it would be over quickly. No, he did not expect a tedious battle to the death. For what? A soul keeper? Don't be ridiculous. Then he made a mistake and left himself wide open.

Silver Wolf was about to sink his teeth for a fatal neck breaker, when a huge, gray wolf slammed into him.

"Enough, young master," Iron Wolf growled. "What happened?" The two wolves circled each other wearily. The brown wolf retreated with his tail between his legs. The rest of the pack watched them on one side of the yard, holding their collective breaths.

"That wolf said that Haru and Chen deserved to be flogged," Silver Wolf snarled back, baring his fangs. His ears were flattening aggressively, eyes darkened with blood lust. His whole body stiffened and the furs around his neck were raised and bristled. There was a low, dangerous growling noise coming out of him.

"Of course they didn't deserve it. But alpha's decision is final," Iron Wolf growled back, holding his ground. "Stand down Silver Wolf! Do not try my patience!"

Silver Wolf growled and snarled some more before reluctantly changed into his human form."How...how is Chen?"

"He will be fine," Alistair said with a calm voice, morphing back into human as well.

Vaughn reached for his jogging pants and sweatshirt. "I am sorry, Al".

Alistair waved his beefy hand. "Don't be. It was not your doing". He started to put his clothes back on.

Vaughn whipped his head up. "I know. My father did this. But I feel as if it is my fault somehow".

Alistair eyed him curiously. "Why?"

"Because Haru and Chen were only trying to help me and the clan. They didn't deserve to be punished like this. If I am alpha..." Vaughn stopped. Alistair's yellow eyes watching him was unnerving. Vaughn shook his head. "Never mind".

"I thought you are not interested in being alpha?" Alistair noted mildly.

"I don't know what I want anymore". Vaughn sighed. "In any case, I don't think I have what it takes to be alpha".

Alistair considered his pack, which congregated on one corner of the yard, watching him and Vaughn and murmuring among themselves. Then he remarked, casually, as if he was commenting on the weather, "I think one most important quality an alpha needs is being flexible, able to anticipate and adapt to change. Time is changing..." He stroked his beard slowly, lost in a reflection. "Just imagine, young master, if the soul keepers decided to band together and challenge the status quo". There was a grim smile on his face. "It will be devastating for both sides, don't you agree?"

Vaughn wasn't sure how to respond to that, so he merely nodded. A horrible thought surfaced in his head: the soul keepers had revolted and he and Mark were on the opposites sides. He pushed that thought away quickly.

"Well, at least you showed a great improvement in your fighting skills". There was a hint of pride in Alistair's voice. "You are getting stronger, Silver Wolf. I am glad that my time is not wasted on you. But picking fights in my pack is not something I tolerate, understood?" The huge wolf man put his hand on Vaughn's shoulder, forcing the latter to meet his eyes. "We have sparring sessions where we can fight each other, so I will not allow fights outside those, did you hear me? You do that again and you can find another den for training".

Vaughn glared at Al for a second but then his eyes flattened. "Understood". He cast his eyes down. "It won't happen again".

"Good". Alistair patted Vaughn's shoulder briefly. "Fight with your brain if you want to live to a ripe old age, Silver Wolf," he added, firmly. "You are a wolf man. Not a rabid dog. You were lucky this time. Fight smartly or you won't survive very long".

Then he turned his attention to the rest of the pack. "No fight outside training, you mangy wolves!" He thundered. He shoved Vaughn lightly towards the rest of the pack. "Every time there is an unauthorized fight, everyone will be punished!" His eyes traveled over everyone. "Now everyone get down, and give me twenty!"

He walked among them, holding a stick about the length of his arm and as thick as his pinky finger. It was made of yew, flexible but strong. "Faster!" Al shouted. "You call that push up? Keep your back straight, man! Give me all you got!" When he was not happy with someone's form, the stick would come singing on the man's back, not too hard that it would break skin but hard enough to make a man wince. After the push ups, he barked once more, "Hit the weights for an hour and then shower!" The men jumped to their feet quickly and raced towards the building. They knew that if Al thought them to be too slow, he wouldn't think twice before whipping the stick on their backs and legs.

After the weight exercises and shower, Vaughn went to see Haru in his living quarter. When Haru opened his door, he was confounded.

"What happened to you?" Haru said, staring at the cuts and scratches on Vaughn's face.

"Someone insulted you, so I beat him up," Vaughn growled.

Haru sighed. "Please come in and have a seat, Vaughn". He gestured towards the middle of the room. "I'll make some tea". He moved slowly towards the kitchenette as his back was still hurting. Haru's living quarter was a comfortable one bedroom unit, with a living area, a bath and a kitchenette. There was a large window on one wall, with a couple of chairs and a small table set in front of it. In the middle of the living room, there were an inviting couch, a couple of overstuffed chairs and a coffee table grouped together. Thick, worn rugs were thrown on floor here and there on the hardwood floors. A bookcase and a writing desk pushed against one side of the wall, completed the furnishing.

Vaughn sank into the couch. "How are you, Haru? How is your back?"

"I am fine. My back will heal. In time". Haru filled a kettle with cold water and set it on the stove. "Now tell me exactly what happened," he said as he reached for his tea tins. Although Vaughn had kept his face emotionless, Haru thought he detected a knot of high-strung nerves under that calm exterior. A chamomile or a lemon balm tea would have helped, he thought. He decided quickly on the lemon balm tea.

Vaughn recounted what happened in low, disgusted voice.

"I see..." Haru said mildly when Vaughn was finished. "Well, thank you for standing up for us soul keepers. But I don't want you to get into trouble because of me".

Vaughn didn't respond. He kept his eyes down.

When the water boiled, Haru poured some of it into his tea pot to warm it. "Has Mark returned?" He asked, flicking his eyes at the young wolf man.

Vaughn shook his head mutely. He rose abruptly. "I have to go..."

"Sit down, Vaughn, please..." Haru discarded the hot water in his pot. He measured a few teaspoons of tea leaves into the pot and poured in fresh, hot water. He set his tea pot, a couple of tea cups and their saucers, a spoon and a pot of sugar cubes onto a tray. Vaughn jumped to his feet, crossed the room quickly and carried the tea tray for Haru. He set the tray carefully on the coffee table, while Haru lowered himself to the couch. Vaughn sat down beside him.

Haru poured the tea into cups. His movement was calm and unhurried. Tea shouldn't be rushed, that's what he believed. It was supposed to be enjoyed in leisurely manner. He set one cup and its saucer in front of Vaughn. "Sugar?"

Vaughn shook his head.

"Try the tea", Haru said. "It's lemon balm". Vaughn and Haru sipped their tea. Then Haru started, "I am sorry..."

"It is not your fault, Haru," Vaughn cut him off. "It's mine".

"If it is anyone's fault, it is mine," Haru retorted. "Mind you, I didn't regret what I have done. Golden Wolf had to be stopped. I still believe I did the right thing..." He creased his tapered, straight brows. "I am just sorry that you and Mark are caught in the middle".

"We owe you," Vaughn said solemnly. "If Iron Wolf didn't show up when he did, Will would have..." He steeled himself. "...hurt Mark. I saw it in his eyes. He was determined to hurt me, by hurting Mark".

Haru nodded. His instinct had been correct. Golden Wolf was planning to strike at the Silver Wolf's family. He sipped his tea again, while his dark eyes held Vaughn's face carefully from over the rim of his cup. The young man had always thought that he could hide his emotions from him, Haru thought. But he had watched Vaughn growing up and had learned all the nuances of Vaughn's glances and body language. He thought that the young man seemed to struggle to say something or more accurately, struggle not to say what he really wanted to say. "What is it?"

"Nothing".

"What is it, Vaughn?"

Vaughn looked up to meet Haru's eyes. "It...was my fault. This whole thing was my fault". He recounted how Will had tried to send him to The Other and Mark had come for him. He wondered what the Goddess had asked Mark to do.

"I see. I have wondered why the Goddess had sent for Mark". Haru put his tea cup back on the coffee table. "Mark will be fine. He will be back".

Vaughn averted his eyes. "But then what, Haru? Can we go back to the way we were before?"

"Why not?" Haru shot him a questioning look.

"I have agreed with my father..." Vaughn didn't finish his sentence.

"Ah, yes. There is still that". Haru leaned back, frowning, as he pondered on a thought. He laced his long fingers on his lap.

"Mark knows what we are capable...to do to you". Vaughn's hands clenched into tight fists on his knees. "We are despicable..."

Haru studied Vaughn's face carefully without saying anything for a moment or two, trying to decipher what the young wolf man was trying to tell him. His eyes brushed over the fists on Vaughn's knees. "I know how you wolf man think. You think that because you are part of a pack, you are all the same. I suppose..." He paused to reach for his tea cup. "That is your wolf pack mentality..." He sipped his tea. "But that is not true. Each one of you is different. You have different thoughts, beliefs, and feelings. You have different wants. Each of you is his own man, do you understand?" He waited for a response, which was not forthcoming, so he put his tea cup down. "Vaughn, look at me".

Vaughn raised his eyes to meet Haru's.

"What I am trying to say, my dear," Haru continued. "Is that you are not your father. You are not your grandfather". He saw the pain in Vaughn's eyes, which told him that he was on the right track. Slowly and gently he said, "Vaughn, you are not as ruthless as you think you are. You are a good man".

Hearing this Vaughn had grimaced as if someone had slapped him. He rose quickly and said, "I...I have to go". He hurried towards the door.

"Vaughn, wait!" Haru called out to him. "I am not trying to encourage you to pick fights in Iron Wolf's den. But what you did today - standing up for us soul keepers - don't you think that is something? I think you are loyal. You stand up for your friends. I think you are brave and you have a good heart. Don't you agree?"

"I..." Vaughn cast his eyes back down. "Rest, Haru. You need it". He turned and continued for the door.

From Haru's place, Vaughn's legs brought him to his father's office. Gareth and Toru were there, working on some paperwork. Vaughn nodded silently at them as a way of greeting. He went to his own desk and reached for a stack of file folders to go through. They were needed to be reviewed and possibly approved before being filed away.

"You can go home, Toru," Gareth nodded at his secretary.

"Yes, sir," Toru responded. Then approaching Vaughn, he said, "Some of these files needed the alpha's review and approval. Then they needed to labeled and file in the..."

"I know," Vaughn said. "I have been doing this for the past week or so, remember?"

"Oh, I just want to..."

"Go home to your wife, Toru," Vaughn cut him off, feeling slightly irritated. "Don't worry about these files. I won't mess up".

Toru had looked defeated. "I know. You'll do fine, young master. Alright, good night then". He nodded at Vaughn and Gareth and exited the office.

"Do you have any plan for dinner?" Gareth flicked his eyes at his son, over his reading glasses.

"No". Vaughn kept his eyes on the files.

Gareth's eyes scanned the document in his hand. "Would you like to have dinner with me?"

"Not tonight".

Gareth didn't say anything for a moment. "Maybe tomorrow," finally, he added.

"Maybe".

The father and son worked in silence. When they were done, Vaughn said good night and went home. When he got home, he was greeted with a sight of a messy kitchen. Han had tried to help Shea to make dinner and together, they managed to use up all kinds of pots, pans, spoons and made a mess all over the kitchen counter and the stove.

"Hey," Shea said when he spotted Vaughn. He elbowed Han.

"Hello," Han said stiffly.

Vaughn nodded at them.

"Dinner is ready," Shea said. Vaughn hesitated. Shea elbowed Han again.

"I am sorry for what I said yesterday," Han said, looking at his feet. Then he looked up. "Please sit down. Shea and I made some stew".

Vaughn sat down at the kitchen table. Shea dished out his stew into three bowls and carried them, one bowl at a time to the table. "No vegetables," he said to Vaughn as he placed a bowl in front of the wolf man. "It's rabbit. I caught it myself". Shea sounded proud.

"I helped," Han added, sounding equally proud.

Somehow, the fact that the stew had no vegetable made Vaughn sad. "Mark would put veggies in it," he said before he could stop himself.

Shea gave him a curious look. "I will put vegetables in next time," he said. He and Han sat at the table as well, each with a bowl of steaming stew in front of them.

"How did you get those scratches on your face?" Han said, staring at wolf man with his big, yellow cat eyes.

Vaughn shrugged. "I got into a fight".

Shea and Han looked at each other, then back at Vaughn. "You okay?" Shea asked. Vaughn nodded. "Who hit you? I hit him back for you," Shea said again, clenching his right hand into a fist.

Vaughn shook his head. "No need. I beat him up already".

"Tell me," Shea responded. "I like battle story". Vaughn told them in short, clipped sentences, how a wolf dared to insult Haru and Chen so he had to go and teach him a lesson.

"Good," Han said. "He deserved it. I hope you shredded him to pieces".

Hearing that, Vaughn had glanced at Han and his lips quirked into a quick smile. It was fast and it disappeared in the next instant but Han had caught it. He grinned back at Vaughn. Then he remembered something. "By the way, we went to see Haru today. He is okay".

Vaughn nodded. "I saw him today, too".

"We are going to see him again tomorrow, for tea. Do you want to come with us?" Han asked.

Vaughn shook his head. "No".

"Okay, dog," Han nodded. "We are going to visit Haru every day. So if you ever feel like coming with us, just let us know". He waited for a beat and then he said, "We are going to the New Years Eve festival tomorrow, would you like to come?"

Vaughn shook his head and ate the rest of his stew without saying anything. Han carried most of the conversation for the rest of dinner, telling Vaughn what he and Shea had been doing that day. Shea added his thoughts once in awhile. Vaughn nodded and grunted whenever he felt like it.

After he finished his dinner, Vaughn rose. "Shea, Han?" He said.

"Yes?" Han said. Shea's ears perked.

"You two better clean up your mess before you go to bed," Vaughn growled. "Mark would want this kitchen sparkling clean, do you understand?" He glared at them. Both Shea and Han nodded wordlessly.

"Good. Good night," Vaughn said. He went into his bedroom and closed the door behind him.

As he brushed his teeth, he wondered what Mark would say if he knew he had gotten into a fight. Then he thought how this would be the first year since they were seventeen that they wouldn't go to the New Year's Eve festival together. He felt as if something stabbed him in the stomach, causing him to bend over the sink, gasping. I miss you, he thought. Please come back to me safely. His eyes had stung but he blinked the tears back. He was a wolf man. He would _not_ cry.

He recalled that his father did not cry at his mother's funeral eight years ago. So he didn't cry as well. But he did burst into tears later on when Haru visited him. Haru had told him that it was okay to cry and for some reasons, Haru's voice broke through his defenses. Before he realized it, he had sobbed furiously and loudly into Haru's chest. Haru had held him tight for a long time, even after all his tears were spent and all his strength had been drawn out of him.

Vaughn had not cried since then.

What Haru had told him echoed in his mind. He wondered if the older soul keeper had been right: that there was some good in him and that he was, or could be, different. It was hard for him to imagine that he was not as cruel as his grandfather who was once ruined the Golden Wolf family or his father, who publicly flogged his own soul keeper. His father's and grandfather's blood ran through him and the same silver wolf spirit was lodged in his soul. How could he not be as ruthless as they were?

End of Chapter 32


	33. Chapter 33: Ambition

Author's note: Just a short update this week 'cause life is kind of hectic at the moment.

Chapter 33: Ambition

A week after Caleb' death, under the cover of the night, Will picked his way carefully to a dilapidated cottage on the mountain, just at the outskirt of the town. He carried a chest full of gold coins with him. A couple of times he stopped and listened, for he had the feeling of being followed. But he couldn't see or sense anyone. He shrugged and shook his head. There is no one here, he told himself. Calm down.

Not too many people knew about the existence of this little cottage on the mountain. Those who knew, preferred to stay away. According to stories around town, an evil warlock lived there. When Will had heard of the warlock, he had decided to pay him a visit. Unlike the town folks, he wasn't afraid of witches or warlocks. Wolf men dealt with magic wielders all the time, hiring them to perform the soul keeper bonding ritual.

Besides, everyone came with a price tag, that was Will's philosophy. Even a reclusive, mountain-dwelling warlock could be bought. When he finally met the warlock, he had asked about the paralyzing potion and with the right price, the warlock had concocted it for him.

The warlock opened the door of his cottage as Will approaching. "On time as usual. Please come in". The warlock had sounded pleased. He was a small man, with oily hair and shiny, dark eyes that reminded Will of rat's eyes. "How was the potion?" He asked with a toothy smile.

"It worked very well," Will responded. "Thank you. You did a good job".

"Have a seat. Would you like something to drink?"

Will looked around the small cottage. "No, thank you. If you don't mind, I am here for the medallion".

"Ah yes, please follow me to my office". The warlock pulled an iron ring on the floor, to lift the wooden flap attached to the ring. He let the flap fell on the floor with a thud, revealing stairs leading into an underground room. He led Will down the stairs.

The underground room had a low ceiling, earthen floor and a funky, musty smell. It was the warlock's lab, where he concocted his potions and salves and performed his spells. On one corner of the room, Will saw a large bird cage with a little girl in it. She looked about ten, with dark hair, dark skin and the most vivid, light violet eyes. Her dark skin set off her eyes and made them more startling. She looked as if she had not bathed for weeks. Her long hair was a tangled mess and her clothing was in tatters When she saw Will and the warlock, her eyes widened with fear and she started to tremble. Will ignored her. He did not care what the warlock was doing in his spare time. He set the his heavy, wooden chest onto the floor.

The warlock rummaged around his messy, work table until he found what he was looking for: a golden medallion, hung from a gold chain, with a side profile of a wolf's head carved onto it. He put the medallion into a wide bowl, along with some herbs and flowers and placed it on the floor, in the middle of the underground room. Then he took a chalk to draw a circle around the bowl.

"So that is the medallion which would give me an everlasting life?" Will asked.

"Yes, in a way". The warlock furrowed his brows. "Now listen to me carefully, I am going to explain to you how this works. I am going to bind your soul to this medallion. You can still die and when you do, your soul will remain here, instead of going to The Other..."

"That's useless!" Will frowned.

The warlock raised his hands. "Let me finish. But your soul would be stronger than regular souls. And you can get stronger by devouring freshly dead souls, do you hear me? After you get stronger, you will even be able to devour living soul. If you devour thousands of living souls or one powerful living soul, you will be transformed into a god!"

Will's ears pricked. "A god?"

"Yes, you will be invincible! Indestructible and immortal!"

Will nodded. That was more like it. He liked the idea of being a god. "Did you say a powerful living soul?"

The warlock gestured at the little girl. "My present to you. She has an ancient, powerful spirit lodged in her soul".

Will approached the bird cage to get a better look at the trembling girl. "A powerful spirit? What kind of spirit?"

The warlock shrugged. "I have no idea. All I know is that I sense a strong soul in her".

"Who is she?"

"Just a street urchin". The warlock shrugged again. "By the way, I have to warn you: the Goddess of The Other frowns at this kind of thing. I don't think she will let your soul to be reborn if you go through this. Do you still want to go through it?"

Will nodded. There was a small, hard smile on his face. "If I am a god, I don't care what She thinks".

The warlock gave Will a small, but sharp, knife and gestured at the chalk circle. "Sit in the middle. By the bowl". When Will did that, the warlock took a small container of salt and started to sprinkle it on top of the chalk marking. After than he opened a big, leather bound book. "Ready?"

Will nodded. His throat was dry but he was ready. Oh, was he ever ready for this. He deserved so much more, he had always believed. Why stop at being an alpha of a bunch of backwater wolf men, if he could have the world in the palm of his hand?

"I need your blood on the medallion".

Will took the small knife and nicked his finger. He squeezed the cut finger over the medallion. There was a hissing noise as the blood drops hit the medallion. Behind him, he could hear the warlock chanted in a language he didn't understand.

Something that resembled metal chains rose from the medallion, snaked itself towards Will and before he could do anything, it started to wrap itself around his neck. The chain felt painfully cold on his skin, burning like an ice fire. He hissed as he grasped the chains with his hands, instinctively trying to pull it away from him. But the chain was stronger. It worked its way around his neck, arms, torso and legs, making a crackling sound as it went. Round and round, it slithered quickly over every inch of his body. He screamed as the cold burned even sharper. The chain glowed with white light, getting brighter with every second, until it exploded into a blinding flare.

Will fell on the floor, gasping, covered in sweat. The chains had disappeared with the flare. The warlock rushed forward and rubbed the line of chalk and salt with his toes to break the magic circle. Then he lightly poked Will with his foot. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah...I am fine," Will panted as he pushed himself up. Indeed, he had felt fine. As a matter of fact, he had felt better than fine. After the final blast of light, he felt power surging inside him, which sent shiver from the tip of his hair, all the way down to his toes. He had never felt so good before. Not even sex had ever made him felt this good. He took the medallion from the bowl. The wolf profile was now outlined in red, in his blood. Will pulled the chain over his head and slipped the medallion inside his clothing. He felt power radiating from the medallion as it rested against his skin.

"And my payment?"

Will gestured his head at the wooden chest on the floor, a few feet away from them. The warlock ran to it with gleam in his eyes. He opened the chest and eyed the gold coins satisfactorily. "Finally, I can leave this stupid town and live somewhere nicer," he said excitedly. He was so ecstatic that he didn't realize Will had come behind him, holding the knife in his right hand.

With one swift movement, Will sliced the warlock's throat. The warlock fell on the floor, jerking and twisting, gurgling blood. It didn't take long for the warlock to finally lie still. Will snatched the keys ring that hung from the warlock's belt. He took the warlock's spell book and stepped towards the cage.

"You have a choice," Will told the little girl in the cage with a calm voice. "When I open this cage, you can take my hand, come with me quietly and you will die sometime in the future, when I die, whenever that will be". He looked at the girl in the eye. "Or, you can try to run away and die today, with your throat slit just like that warlock. It doesn't matter to me whether I have to kill one little girl or thousands".

Will started to look through the keys ring. A few of the keys seemed to be good candidates. "If you come with me..." He flicked his eyes at the girl. "...You can have a good life until you die. You won't be hungry. You will have a roof over your head, clothes on your back and no one will touch you without your consent". He tried the keys one by one until he heard the satisfying click of the cage door being unlocked. He dropped the keys ring carelessly on the floor and held a hand out to the girl. "What is it going to be?"

The little girl looked up and mutely put her hand into Will's hand.

"Good girl". Will smiled at her. "Let's get out of here".

"Why..." The girl croaked. "Why did you kill him?"

Will raised his refined brows. He followed the girl's eyes to the dead warlock. "Oh, him". He shrugged. "I don't like loose end".

* * *

><p>Elliot was confounded as he saw the little girl Will brought home. Will had woken him up and gestured at the girl.<p>

"Take care of her, Elliot," Will said. "Don't let her out of your sight. Lock her in the other room for tonight. I will get her a cage..." His eyes took in the girl's tattered clothing. "...And new clothes tomorrow".

"What...what are you going to do with her?" Elliot's eyes were wide.

Will shot him an impatient look. "Do not question me, soul keeper. Just feed her and make sure she has everything she needs".

Elliot's voice was almost a whisper. "She-she is just a little girl..." Will's face darkened, but he didn't say anything. Looking at the wolf man's face, Elliot put his hands up. "I will. I will take care of her. Just please, don't hurt her..."

"Be quiet and do what you are told," Will said brusquely. "I am going to shower".

Elliot sighed as he took the girl's hand and led her to the spare bedroom. Now that Will was alpha, they had moved to Charles' living quarter.

"Please..." In the spare room, the girl whispered to Elliot, clutching his hand. "Please help..."

Elliot shook his head. "We have to follow what he said". The girl started to cry, tying up Elliot's heart in knots. For some reasons, she had reminded him of his sister. When they were children, his sister Natalie, used to cry a lot and every time she did, she would run to Elliot for comfort. Gently, he asked the little girl, "What's your name?"

The girl sniffed. "Tamara. Tam. People call me Tam".

"Tam, listen to me". Elliot knelt in front of her so she could look into his eyes. "I will try my best to take care of you, okay? You don't need to cry anymore..." When the girl nodded as a response, he added, "Can you take a bath and wash your hair on your own?" The girl nodded again. "Good. I will prepare a bath for you, okay?" He stood and was about to walk into the adjoining bathroom when he realized that Tam was still clutching at his hand. "Tam," he said, soothingly, as he pried her fingers off. "I will just be in that room..." He gestured his head at the bathroom. "I am not going anywhere".

After Tam finished her bath, she dressed herself in t-shirt and shorts that Elliot had put in the bathroom for her. The clothes were too big for her but at least they were clean and decent. Then Elliot sat her at the edge of the bed and fed her a bowl of soup. After she ate, he tried to run a a comb through her hair. He gave up trying after her sniffles got louder, every time he tried to untangle the knots in her hair. He tucked her under the blanket and promised her that he would check on her in the morning. He was about to leave when Tam grabbed his hand.

"Anything else you need?"

The girl whispered, "He is a bad man. He is a bad man..."

Elliot sat down at the edge of the bed. He didn't know what to say. Deep down he agreed with Tam that Will was a rotten man. But what could he do? If he didn't obey Will, he might take his anger on the little girl, like he did on Kaede. Elliot could not take another loss of innocent life on his conscience.

"...He is going to eat me". The girl's violet eyes were round with fear. Her nails dug painfully into Elliot's hand.

Elliot flinched. Can't be, he thought. Not even Will is that sick. "No, Tam. He is not going to eat you".

"Yes, yes, he is going to". Tam nodded her head quickly. "I saw it in my dreams".

Elliot breathed a sigh of relief. "It is just a nightmare. Nightmares aren't real". He patted the girl's hand.

"No..." Tam shook her head stubbornly. "My dreams sometimes come true". Her eyes started to tear up again. "He is going to eat me. Eat my soul. Unless he comes and saves me".

"Who? Who comes to save you?"

"The man with yellow hair and green eyes. The man with a mark here..." She released Elliot's hand to point at her left collarbone. "And here..." She pointed to her right palm. "The same place as your mark..." She gestured at Elliot's right palm. "But a different mark".

Elliot frowned. He wondered if she had meant a soul keeper. He shook his head. "It's just a nightmare, Tam. Nightmares don't come true. I had them too sometimes..."

"But he...he let go. I told him not to let me go". Tam wasn't listening to Elliot. She hugged her thin body and bawled furiously. "But he did. The bad man was hurting him, so he let go".

"Don't cry..." Elliot took the little girl into his arm and rocked her gently. "It's just a dream, Tam. It's not real". He re-tucked her under the blanket. "You need to sleep. I'll stay. I am not going anywhere. You need to sleep...that's the good girl". He shushed and cooed and caressed the girl's hair until she fell asleep. Then quietly he turned off the light and slipped out of the bedroom.

End of Chapter 33


	34. Ch34:My Back is Not Strong Enough Part 4

A/N: Sorry for such a slow update. My bad.

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><p><span>Chapter 34: My Back Is Not Strong Enough Part 4<span>

Day 5

One late morning, when Mark was taking his chocolate cookies out of the oven, he thought he heard something exploded. "Did you hear that?" He looked at Hanna.

"Yeah," she frowned.

"Bishop!" They both gasped in unison. On the next second, they were dashing out of the house, towards the barn.

Outside, they could see black smoke seeping out of the barn door. Mark rushed towards the barn and flung one of its doors wide open. Thick smoke assailed his nose and he bent instantly in a coughing fit. He took out his handkerchief from his back pocket and tied it around his mouth and nose. Then he gingerly stepped into the barn, looking around, waving his hands to clear out the smoke. There didn't seem to be any fire, thank goddess, but there were pieces of metals, cables and screws scattered everywhere.

He saw a figure lying motionless on the floor, nearby the work counter. "Bishop! Oy, Bishop! Are you okay?" He got down to his hands and knees - for the smoke seemed to be thinner closer to the ground - and crawled as fast as he could towards Bishop. "Hey!" Mark shook the older man's shoulder. "Wake up!" The man didn't respond. Mark let out a string of curses, before he wrapped his arms around Bishop's chest and started to drag him slowly out of the barn.

Outside the barn, Mark laid Bishop on the ground carefully. Bishop's eyes were closed but he was breathing, albeit raggedly. There were some tears on his rough, cotton coverall. With his heart pounding in his ears, Mark unzipped the coverall from the neckline all the way to the waist, to expose the white t-shirt Bishop was wearing underneath his coverall. He breathed a sigh of relief when he didn't see too much blood or tears on the t-shirt. The thick coverall had taken most of the damage, leaving Bishop's chest mostly unharmed.

Mark ran to the side of the house, where the outdoor tap was located. He opened the tap and moistened his kerchief with cold water. He ran back to Bishop, knelt beside him and took Bishop's goggles off. He used the wet kerchief to wipe Bishop's face and neck. The unconscious man started to stir. His eyes fluttered open.

"Ugh..." Bishop groaned, holding his head in his hand. "What...?" He looked around him. "What happened?"

"You tell me," Mark said. He was still kneeling on the ground beside Bishop, still trying to wipe the grease and soot off the older man's face. "We heard an explosion, and saw black smoke coming out of your workshop".

Bishop groaned again as he waved Mark's hand away, while pushing himself up. "Yeah, I made a mistake again..." He croaked. He tried to get up to his feet, but his legs caved in, refusing to support him. Mark caught his arm, preventing him from falling back down.

"We need to get you inside the house," Mark said. "Come on, lean on me". He pulled Bishop's arm around his neck, and circled his own arm around Bishop's waist. Together, they slowly headed for the house.

Inside the house, they headed straight to Bishop's room. Mark dropped the weakened man on his bed. He pulled Bishop's boots off and threw a blanket over him.

Bishop tried to get up. "I have to work," he said groggily.

Mark pushed him back down. "Not in your condition, you don't". Then he went to the kitchen, to fetch a basin full of clean, warm water, a small, clean towel, and the first aid kit. He walked back into the room and put down his basin and the first aid kit by the side table. He pulled the cover off Bishop. "Please sit up". He patted Bishop's arm gently. "I would like to take the coverall off you". Bishop mumbled something that sounded like a protest but he sat and let Mark guided his arms out of the long sleeves.

Mark tugged the coverall down Bishop's hips. "Lie down". Bishop fell on the bed. Mark yanked the coverall over Bishop's hips, down his legs, and off his feet. Bishop was now lying on the bed wearing only his t-shirt, boxer shorts and socks. "I am going to look at your chest and stomach, okay? To see if you are hurt," Mark said, as he gently pushed Bishop's t-shirt up to his armpits, to reveal his upper body. There were some cuts and scratches on Bishop's face, chest and arms, but they didn't look too deep, and his legs – Mark glanced at Bishop's legs - seemed unharmed. Mark drenched the towel in warm water and wrung it out, using it to wipe away the blood and soot as much as possible. Afterward, he dressed the cuts and scratches. "There," he said when he was finally done. He pulled the t-shirt back down, and threw the cover back on top of Bishop. "Rest. You need it. I'll make you some soup," he said as he left the room, carrying the basin and the first aid kit with him.

"You think he is going to be okay?" Hanna said, as soon as she saw Mark walked out of the bedroom.

"Yeah, I think so. He didn't seem to be injured badly". Mark pulled a pot out of the kitchen cabinet. He stopped abruptly mid-way, as if he had just remembered something. "Today is the New Years' Eve festival". His eyes scanned the calendar hanging on one of the walls.

She shrugged. "Guess so".

Mark poured some broth into the pot, and set it on the stove. He chopped some fresh herbs, while waiting for the broth to boil. He talked as he worked. "I remember the first time Vaughn and I went to the New Years' Eve festival..." He started. "We were still living in the Silver Wolfe's main house. I have been living there for a year, and I had just turned eighteen. Vaughn was about to turn eighteen in a few days..." When the broth had bubbled, he stirred the chopped herbs and cooked rice into the pot. Then he turned the heat down and covered the pot, letting the rice soup simmer. "I was feeling blue that day..."

Hanna leaned against the kitchen counter. One of her elbows rested on top of the counter.

Mark told Hanna that the reason he was feeling down that day, was because it was around that time that he had lost his parents. Vaughn had wanted to go straight to the festival, but Mark had wanted to stop by the Goddess' temple. He had wanted to say a prayer to the Goddess on behalf of his parents. He didn't realize how much time had passed as he stood in front of the Goddess statue inside the temple, contemplating how lonely he had felt.

"Come on. We have got to go, or we are going to miss the festival," Vaughn had said, impatiently.

Together they had ran out of the temple, towards the festival location. As he was running, Mark felt his foot caught on something. He lost his balance and hit the ground hard. As he was trying to stand up, a sharp pain jabbed his ankle, causing him to lurch forward. Vaughn caught his arm, to steady him.

"My ankle hurts," Mark grimaced. "I think I may have twisted it. I...I am going to go home. Why don't you go to the festival without me". He had started to hobble away, when Vaughn tightened his grip on Mark's arm to stop him.

"I'll carry you," Vaughn said. He knelt on the ground on one knee, offering his back. "Come on, I'll carry you on my back".

Mark couldn't believe his ears. "I...er, would rather not..."

"You promised to go to the festival with me, remember?" Vaughn sounded annoyed. "You can't back out of your promise".

Mark sighed, as he climbed the young wolf man's back, fully aware that his face was turning bright red.

"Wrap your legs around me," Vaughn said. "It's easier for me to carry you if you do that". Mark's face had burned even more, but he did what the silver-haired boy asked. Vaughn hooked his elbows under the blond's knees, and rose slowly.

"You don't have to do this, you know," Mark said, trying to calm his pounding heart. "We can always go together next year".

Vaughn strode in silence with a steady pace for some time. Then, he asked, "Why are you so sad today?"

It was Mark's turn not to say anything for a few seconds. Finally, with a barely audible voice, he told Vaughn about how he had lost his parents around this time of the year. And before he could stop himself, he poured out his heart to his friend: about how lonely and unwanted he felt, how he felt as if his family had abandoned him. He knew that he shouldn't feel this way, he told Vaughn. That it was illogical for him to feel this way, but he just couldn't help it sometimes. Without realizing it, as he was telling his story, Mark had rested his head on Vaughn's shoulder; his arms wrapped around the wolf man's neck. He jerked his head back when he realized what he had done, quickly releasing Vaughn's neck, resting his hands lightly on his friend's shoulders instead.

Vaughn didn't say anything, or made fun of him for that matter, for which Mark was grateful. It was embarrassing enough to bare his feelings like that to his guy friend. Furthermore, he was doubly embarrassed, because he had clutched at his friend as if he was a sad, little girl...

After a while, Vaughn broke the silence, "I would never abandon you, I promise. You are, well, will be in a few days anyway, my soul keeper".

Hearing that leaving Mark tongue-tied. He didn't dare to speak for awhile for he had the feeling that his voice would shake. Then he said, "Vaughn..."

"Yeah?"

"I just have this feeling that next year is going to be a good year..." Mark said softly. He fought the urge to rest his head on Vaughn's back, or to touch his pretty, silver hair.

Vaughn glanced over his shoulder once more, before he remarked, "Yeah, I agree with you". He let a moment of silence passed, then he added,"By the way, have I told you that your legs feel nice? Have you been working out?" He squeezed Mark's thigh.

"Gaah!" Mark thumped the top of Vaughn's head with his fist. "Stop feeling my leg! What are you? A pervert?"

Vaughn's mouth curved into a smirk. Then he moved one of his hands to squeeze Mark's butt.

"Ack!" Mark yelped. "Get your fucking hand off my fucking ass, you fucker!"

"Keep going," Vaughn said. "You dirty mouth is really turning me on".

"Shuddup!" Mark was half hissing, half laughing. He felt so much better but he cuffed Vaughn in the head anyway...

Funny, Mark thought. He couldn't remembered much of the festival, he told Hanna. It was a nice festival, he was sure of that. He recalled that it was a nice night, not full moon, but clear and crisp. Whether or not there were many stars, he couldn't recall. All he could remember was that, it was a little cold for he could see his breath puffing out of his nose, and mouth, in wispy, white smoke, and that his friend's back had felt so warm and sturdy. He remembered admiring Vaughn's broad back, and thought how his own back must have looked puny in comparison.

Vaughn is always the strong one, Mark thought. For the first time ever, he realized how much he had depended on Vaughn for strength. Just being around Vaughn, made him want to be stronger, made him to want to be a better man. And this thought made him sad, because he didn't think he could ever be good enough for Vaughn. He tried, Goddess knows, he tried to be strong, to fix his own problems without asking Vaughn for help. He didn't want Vaughn to think that he was weak, incapable, or needy, but sometimes he felt that all he wanted to do was to stop pretending to be strong...because deep down he knew he wasn't. But he was afraid of what Vaughn would think of him if he found out that Mark wasn't as strong as he pretended to be.

"...Hello?" Hanna said, waving her hand in front of Mark's face, to bring him back to the present.

"Huh?" He blinked.

She rolled her eyes. "You were gone somewhere, and you have that sad, love-sick look on your face again".

"Sorry..." Mark felt his face burned. He tried to wipe whatever sad, love-sick look that Hanna mentioned off his face. But he got the feeling that he was probably failing miserably. He lifted the pot lid to check his rice soup. He took a clean spoon out of the kitchen drawer to scoop a little bit of the soup, and tasted it. He adjusted the soup's seasonings, gave it a few stir with a ladle, and turned off the stove. Finally he sighed, and said, "We had gone to every festival together since then. This will be the first time we won't..." He stopped as he heard noises. They turned their heads in time to see Bishop, fully dressed in his torn coveralls, stumbling out of the bedroom. "Where do you think you are going?" Mark asked, frowning.

"Barn. Gotta do some work," Bishop mumbled.

"No, you are not". Mark planted himself firmly between the taller man and the front door. "Not in your condition, you are not. You can't even walk straight! Besides, I already made you some rice soup".

"Out of my way, kid," Bishop snarled.

Mark crossed his arms in front of him, looking up at Bishop defiantly. "I baked some more cookies today," he said. "Chocolate ones".

"Really?" Bishop brightened. He looked around him. When he saw the cookies cooling down on the baking racks on the kitchen table, he lurched towards them.

Mark rushed to place himself between Bishop and the cookies. "You have to take the rest of the day off and rest, or no cookies!" He wiggled his finger at Bishop.

"What...? But, but..." Bishop stuttered. He glared at Mark, but the boy refused to move. Hanna showed support for her friend by blocking his way as well. Bishop looked at the cookies, and then at Mark and Hanna, and back to the cookies. Finally, he sighed. "Fine. Fine," he said, putting his hands up. "I'll take a day off". He looked down at his stomach. "One of these days, I am really going to say no to you, you hear me?"

His belly thundered in response.

Mark frowned at Bishop and wondered if the latter was talking to his stomach, again. "Why don't you sit down on the couch, and I'll bring you some nice rice soup," he said with a soothing voice. He raised his hands to stop Bishop's protests. "Soup first, then cookies. Sit," he said, more firmly this time, while jerking his head at the couch.

"What are you? My wife?" Bishop snapped but he moved and settled himself on the couch.

"Pfft...becoming a wife to a cranky man like you? No, thanks. I would rather suck my eyes out with a cow milker," Mark retorted as he handed Bishop a steaming bowl of rice soup and a spoon. "The soup will make you feel better. Trust me," he added. "You finish the soup and you can have cookies".

Bishop glowered at Mark. But he ate the soup without further complaints and he did feel better afterward, as the soup warmed his body. Mark ladled the rest of the soup into a different bowl, and sat at the kitchen table to eat his lunch. Afterward, he took away Bishop's and his empty bowls and placed them in the sink. He handed Bishop a plate of chocolate cookies as a reward.

"Feel better?" Mark asked Bishop, while washing the dishes. "Do you want any coffee?"

Bishop ignored him, still feeling a little irritated for not being allowed to keep working. He worked on stuffing his face with cookies instead.

"What do you usually do for New Year's Eve around here?" Mark settled on the couch as well, after the dishes were done. And before Bishop could move his plate, the blond had seized a couple of cookies.

"Today is New Year's Eve?" Bishop frowned. "Huh. I guess it is". He thought for a bit. "I think the village had some sort of festival". He shrugged, and reached for the TV remote.

"I wonder if they give out buckwheat flour..." Mark's voice was trailing. "You can make some nice noodles with them".

"Why don't you go down to the village and find out?" Bishop said.

"And let you stay here all by yourself? So you can sneak back into your workshop?" Mark shot a knowing look at Bishop. "Not a chance," he said with a smirk as he could see that he had hit bull's eyes.

"Whatever," Bishop huffed, keeping his eyes on the TV set. After a period of silence, he said, "Anyway, you shouldn't have gone into the barn to pull me out. It could be dangerous..."

"No problem," Mark shrugged. "It wasn't that dangerous. I checked and I didn't see any fire or anything. You were unconscious, I can't just leave you there".

"I will be okay, even if you leave me there. I will get out on my own, eventually. It happened before," Bishop returned, stiffly. His eyes still on the TV. "Besides, I thought you think I am useless..." He mumbled, referring to yesterday's event when Mark had called him a "crude, useless jerk".

Mark's head whipped up. "I...no, I mean, I didn't mean that. I don't think you are useless..." He raked through his hair. "I was just frustrated...with myself. I am the one who is useless, not you. I am just taking it out on you. I am sorry..."

Bishop was quiet.

"You are not useless, Bishop, trust me," Mark continued. He shifted his body so he could face the older man. "You built that beautiful flying machine with your own hands. I wish I can do something like that..."

"I guess..." Bishop said. "...I should thank you for getting me out of the barn".

"Like I said, no problem". Mark waved his hand. "Anyway, when did you last have a day off?"

Bishop wrinkled his forehead, trying to remember but he couldn't, so he just shrugged.

"No wonder you are so cranky. You work too hard". Mark bit into one of his cookies.

"That's what he used to tell me too..." Bishop said absently.

"Who?" Hanna hovered closer. She perched on the coffee table, with her legs crossed daintily at the knees.

"My wolf, Liam. He used to tell me that too. He used to try to get me to stop working, and goof off with him". Bishop grimaced. "But he is gone. A long time ago..." He let out a long sigh.

Mark shifted again. Now he was sitting cross-legged on the sofa, leaning towards Bishop. "What happened?"

Bishop's eyes seemed sad, as he stared at the plate of cookies in his lap. "He got very depressed. And very sick. One day he just...lost his will to live I guess. He stopped fighting for his life, and...died".

"I am sorry..." Mark put one of the cookies he had taken, back on Bishop's plate. Bishop needed that cookie more than he did, he thought.

Bishop recovered with a shrug. "Don't be. Like I said, it was a long time ago".

"Do you...do you still miss him?" Mark said. He tried not to think of how he would feel if Vaughn had died on him. He had wanted to ask Bishop how he could bear it, how he was able to shoulder the death of his wolf and came out okay. Mark was sure that he wouldn't be strong enough, or brave enough, to keep on living in a world which had no Vaughn in it. What does it feel like, he had wanted to ask Bishop. What does it feel like when your world is crumbling down as you lost your loved one...

"Sometimes...he was a good man..." Bishop's voice broke Mark's train of thought.

"Why did you run away, Bishop?"

Bishop leaned his head back onto the couch, suddenly looking very tired. "Because those damn wolves kept picking on Liam, since he was such a nice wolf man. He was gentle and kind, unlike those sadistic bastards. So I blew up one day, and killed them..."

Mark stared at him with disbelief. "You...you killed them?"

"Yup," Bishop's eyes were hard. "There were these few wolves who kept bothering Liam, and one day, I found them about to assault him. I summoned a huge tornado, lifted them up in the air, and dropped them all to their deaths. Liam freaked out after that, and thought that the clan would kill me, so we decided to run away".

"Did you...did you regret it?"

"No," Bishop said, roughly. "I'll do it again if I have to". He flicked his eyes at Mark, who was watching him intently. "That's the kind of man I am, kid". He closed his eyes, his head still resting on the back of the couch. "Maybe you should think twice about living here, and asking for my help".

"I am not going anywhere until you helped me..." Mark paused. "...I have never killed anyone. But, I think I understand why you did it," he continued. "I have the feeling that if...if someone is trying to hurt Vaughn, I will do anything to protect him. I think I may even kill if I have to..." He thought for a bit. "I guess, we are the same, you and I..."

"Is that what you think? That we are the same?" Bishop opened his eyes and gazed at Mark curiously. "Well, let's hope that you would never have to do what I did. You don't want to be in that situation, trust me". He frowned. "But still...I don't think I can help you".

"There is no one else who can help me". Mark cast his eyes down. He pulled his knees towards him, hugging them tightly to his chest. "I don't know if you are right, that I am kind of useless..."

"I have never said you are useless..." Bishop protested.

"...Or if Hanna is right, that you know something that will help me. But..." Mark raised his eyes to meet Bishop's. "...I have decided to stick around, and see what happens". Then he looked away. "You know, someone told me, a long time ago, that everyone has something to offer, that no one is completely worthless". He sighed, and rubbed his eyes tiredly a couple of times. "I really want to believe him..."

"Is that so?" Bishop reflected on a thought. "I bet your friend hasn't met an elemental like me, who can't summon his wind anymore," he said ruefully.

"You are not worthless, Bishop," Mark said hotly. "You are a good mechanic. That's really something, trust me".

"Well, what about you? You can cook and bake pretty good. You are not useless yourself, you know". There was a little smile on Bishop's face.

"Oh come on!" Mark made a face. "Cooking and baking is not the same as being a good mechanic. Anyone can do that".

Bishop frowned. "Not me. I can't cook even if my life depends on it. I think it is the same thing as being able to fix things. Besides, you can still summon your wind, that's one more thing you can do that I can't". Mark didn't say anything but there was a disbelief on his face. "And well, even if I think you are just being impudent, Liam probably thinks that you are being clever..." He squirmed in his seat.

"That's what I have been trying to tell him," Hanna quipped.

Mark bit his bottom lip.

"You are not worth..." Bishop stopped and shook his head. "What am I doing," he wondered out loud. "Arguing with a know-it-all brat about who is more useless..." He glanced at Mark, who seemed to still be thinking hard. "So...you think you are willing to do anything for your wolf, don't you? You like him that much, huh?"

"Oh yeah, this guy crashed into The Other to save his wolf," Hanna said. "That's how he got in trouble with the Goddess in the first place".

"Really?" A small smirk formed on Bishop's face, as he elbowed Mark. "That was stupid..."

"Tsk, not as stupid as killing wolves with tornado, I bet," Mark retorted.

Bishop allowed himself a short laugh. "So we are both stupid and prone to get in trouble for our wolves. Go figure. Maybe we are the same..." He said, sounding amused, shaking his head. "How did your wolf end up in The Other?"

Mark recounted how months ago, Will was trying to destroy Vaughn's soul by sending him to The Other.

"That's one nasty wolf," Bishop responded. He offered his cookie plate to Mark. "By the way, the cookie you put back has your cooties already, so I don't want it. You can have it back".

"Cooties?" Mark blinked at Bishop in disbelief, but his hand moved to take the cookie back. He wasn't going to say no to an extra cookie. "How old are you really? Ten?"

Bishop smirked. He stuffed a cookie in his mouth and chewed thoughtfully. "Man, this is so good! Chocolate and cookies are the perfect combination. I can't get enough. You should make this more often," he said. "Sheesh, I can't believe I am saying this, but this cookie is so good, that I feel like I want to have sex with it".

Both Mark and Hanna shot Bishop a funny look.

"I wonder if there are people with cookie sex fetish? Is there any word to describe people who have sex with cookies?" Bishop voiced his thought out loud, oblivious of the look that Hanna and Mark gave him.

"Yeah, there is," Mark said. "I believe it's 'desperate'..."

Bishop's brow twitched. "Cheeky brat!" He slapped the back of Mark's head hard. He could hear Hanna guffawed in the background.

"Ugh..." Mark grimaced. He rubbed the sore spot on his head. "Why did you hit me for, you old fart?" He barked.

"Who are you calling old?" Bishop barked back.

Mark glared defiantly. "Are you now old _and_ blind?"

"You...you...you..." Bishop stuttered. "Apologize!" He spat.

"No, you apologize! You hit me!"

"You insolent, impertinent little..." Bishop suddenly got Mark's head in an arm lock and started to give him a noogie: he dug his knuckles hard into the blond's head, and dragged it back and forth.

"Ow...ow...ow! Leggo!" Mark struggled but Bishop got him in a vice-like hold.

Bishop dug his knuckles even harder. "Apologize!" He gritted through his teeth.

"Okay...okay!" Mark's eyes started to tear up. "I am sorry! I am sorry!"

Bishop's mouth twisted into a triumphant smirk.

End of Chapter 34


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